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 The rules say that plans must pay for a medical service or item if regular Medicare would pay for it in this case. You can find this rule at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 422.101.  

The rules say voluntary muscular contraction depends upon the release of acetylcholine from vesicles within a nerve ending following stimulation of the nerve. The acetylcholine is released into the neuromuscular junction, binding to specific proteins called receptors in the membrane of the muscle fiber. The effect of the acetylcholine at these receptors is to cause the muscle to contract. When a sufficient amount of acetylcholine has been released with subsequent binding to the muscle fiber proteins, muscle contraction occurs. Botulinum toxin type A and botulinum toxin type B create a chemical blockade by inhibiting the release of acetylcholine from the nerve ending vesicles thereby preventing the acetylcholine from binding to the proteins in the receptor site on the muscle. Localized weakness or paralysis occurs in the muscle injected with botulinum toxin.  

Approved indications for botulinum toxin type A and toxin type B differ. WPS GHA has determined that the separate accepted indications for the botulinum toxin products will be combined into a single list of covered indications in this Local Coverage Determination (LCD). It is the responsibility of providers to use each drug in accordance with approved indications. While this policy contains a single list of covered indications, this is not meant to imply that botulinum toxin products are interchangeable.      

1. Coverage of botulinum toxin for certain spastic conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, stroke, head trauma, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis) will be limited to those conditions listed in the Billing and Coding: Botulinum Toxin Type A & B (A57474).  All other uses in the treatment of other types of spasm will be considered as investigational and therefore, non-covered by Medicare.     
2. Since organic writer's cramp is uncommon, Medicare would not expect to see the treatment of this condition to be billed frequently.     
3. The patient who has a spastic or excessive muscular contraction condition is usually started with a low dose of botulinum toxin.  Other spastic or muscular contraction conditions, such as eye muscle disorders, (e.g., blepharospasm) may require lesser amounts of botulinum toxin.  For larger muscle groups, it is generally agreed that once a maximum dose per site has been reached and there is no response, the treatment is discontinued.  The treatments may be resumed at a later date.  With response, the effect of the injections generally lasts for three months at which time the patient may require repeat injections to control the spastic or excessive muscular condition.     
4. It is usually considered not medically necessary to give botulinum toxin injections for spastic conditions more frequently than every 12 weeks.     
5. Coverage of treatments provided may be continued unless any two treatments in a row, utilizing an appropriate or maximum dose of botulinum toxin failed to produce satisfactory clinical response.       
6. Botulinum toxin may be covered in the treatment of achalasia. According to the 2018 ISDE achalasia guidelines, botulinum injections should mainly be used in patient's age 50 or greater and for patients that are unfit for surgery or as a bridge to more definitive therapies such as surgery or balloon dilatation.1     
7. Chronic migraine is defined as a "headache occurring on 15 or more days a month for more than three months, which, on at least eight days/month has the features of migraine headache.2". Treatment of chronic migraines will be covered when they meet the following diagnostic criteria: for migraine with aura and /or criteria for migraine without aura. Treatment with botulinum toxin may be given every 12 weeks as multiple injections around the head and neck.          

A. Migraine with aura:             

1. At least two attacks fulfilling the following criteria a and b 
               
a. One or more of the following fully reversible aura symptoms                     
Visual (aura, changes in vision)                     
sensory (e.g., tingling in hands or face, pins and needles, numbness                     
speech and/or language difficulties                     
motor (e.g., weakness)                     
brainstem (e.g., vertigo, tinnitus, loss of hearing, diploplia, ataxia not attributable to sensory deficit, and decreased level of consciousness)                     
retinal (visual disturbance, flash of light, blind spot)        
         
b. At least three of the following six characteristics:   
                  
at least one aura symptom spreads gradually over > 5 minutes                     
two or more aura symptoms occur in succession                    
each individual aura symptoms last 5-60 minutes                     
at least one aura symptom is unilateral                     
at least one aura symptom is positive                     
the arura is accompanied, or followed within 60 minutes, by headache         

B. Migraine without aura:             

1. At least five attacks fulfilling the following criteria 
                
Headache attacks lasting 4-72 hours (when untreated or unsuccessfully treated)                 
Headache has at least two of the following:                     
unilateral location                     
pulsating quality                     
moderate or severe pain intensity                     
aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity (e.g. walking or climbing stairs)                 

During headache at least one of the following:                     
nausea and/or vomiting                     
photophobia and phonophobia     

8. Botulinum toxin for chronic anal fissure may be considered for the patient who has not responded satisfactorily to conservative treatment. Conservative treatment may include the use of bulking agents, sitz baths or topical agents.     
9. Botulinum toxin is covered for hyperhidrosis that significantly affects one's quality of life and cannot be managed adequately with topical agents.  

You can find this information in Medicare's Local Coverage Determination (LCD): Botulinum Toxin Type A & Type B (L34635).  

If you want to read these Medicare rules, you can go to this website www.medicareappeal.com.