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Clinical Policy Title: Disposable Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Pumps
Clinical Policy Number: 06.02.01
Effective Date:
March 1, 2014
Initial Review Date:
Nov. 20
th, 2013
Most Recent Review Date: Dec. 18
th, 2013
Next Review Date:
Nov. 2014
Lines of Business: TrueBlue clinical policies are subject to all applicable laws and government regulatory requirements of the geographical areas served. Refer to the pertinent government and plan documents for each geographical area for guidance. Individual member benefits must be verified.
Policy Definition: TrueBlue covers health care service/items when they are a plan benefit, medically
necessary and not prohibited from coverage by state or federal laws and/or regulatory requirements. This TrueBlue clinical policy addresses the medical evidence supporting the use of disposable continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pumps, also referred to as “insulin patch pumps”.TrueBlue considers the use of disposable CSII pumps to be investigational as the effectiveness of its use has not been established in peer reviewed professional literature. These clinical policies, along with other sources, such as plan benefits and state and federal laws and regulatory requirements, including any state or plan specific definition of medically necessary, are considered by TrueBlue when making coverage determinations.
Coverage Policy:
TrueBlue considers the use of disposable CSII pumps, also referred to as “insulin patch pumps” to be investigational; and therefore, a finding of medical necessity is not supported.
Policy contains:
OmniPod® Insulin Management System.
V‐Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery System.
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FOR MEDICARE MEMBERS ONLY:
TrueBlue considers the use of disposable CSII pumps, also referred to as “insulin patch pumps” to be clinically proven and, therefore, medically necessary only after demonstration that standard therapies have not been effective.
Limitations:
This policy only applies to the disposable CSII pumps and does not apply to standard insulin pumps.Alternative Covered Services:
Multiple daily injections of insulin.
Non-disposable external continuous infusion insulin pumps.
Background:
Intensive insulin therapy is an aggressive treatment approach for persons with diabetes that requires close monitoring of blood glucose levels and frequent doses of insulin. Innovations in insulin delivery and glucose monitoring are designed to improve glycemic control and quality of life (QOL) while limiting adverse effects, such as hypoglycemia and weight gain. These advances include continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and sensor-augmented pumps, which combine rt-CGM with CSII. Intensive insulin therapy consists of CSII using rapid-acting insulin or multiple (at least 3) daily injections (MDI) along with glucose monitoring.
An Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found that CSII and MDI have similar effects on glycemic control and hypoglycemia for children or
adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); CSII has a favorable effect on HbA1c in adults with T1DM. (Golden 2012; Yeh 2012) For glycemic control, rt-CGM is superior to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) “finger stick”, and sensor-augmented insulin pumps are superior to MDI and SMBG, without increasing the risk for hypoglycemia. Adolescents and adults with T1DM reported better overall QOL with CSII than those treated with MDI. These data suggest that intensive insulin therapies designed to optimize glycemic control can be individualized to maximize treatment satisfaction and QOL.
Despite these developments, many persons with diabetes continue to experience considerable fear of hypoglycemia, which may compromise care and treatment adherence, leading to worsening metabolic control. (Anhalt 2010) Traditional CSII pumps are connected to the body via an infusion set and tubing for delivering insulin, but the tubing can kink or disconnect and compromise convenient and discreet use. As a result, a number of external insulin infusion “patch” pumps have been developed that involve no visible tubing, adhere to the body, are partially or completely disposable, and may be worn and operated discreetly under clothing. Some require a separate wireless controller device, and others include all necessary control components. (Anhalt 2010)
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) (2013), strong evidence indicates most people with T1DM should be treated with MDI injections (3 to 4 injections per day of basal and prandial insulin) or CSII using insulin analogs to reduce hypoglycemia risk that matches prandial insulin to carbohydrate intake,
pre-3 meal blood glucose, and anticipated activity. For persons with T2DM, due to its progressive nature insulin therapy may eventually be indicated. (ADA 2013)
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Consensus Panel on Insulin Pump
Management (2010) defined the ideal candidate for CSII pump therapy as a motivated and DM-educated person with T1DM or insulinopenic T2DM who currently performs 4 or more insulin injections and 4 or more self-monitored blood glucose measurements daily and is willing and intellectually and physically able to undergo the rigors of insulin pump therapy initiation and maintenance. (Grunberger 2010)
Eligible candidates should be capable of self-management through frequent self-monitored blood glucose measurements (at least initially) and/or the use of a continuous glucose sensor device. Candidates must be able to master carbohydrate counting and insulin correction and adjustment formulas and troubleshoot problems related to pump operation and blood glucose levels. Finally, patients should be emotionally mature, with a stable life situation, and willing to maintain frequent contact with members of their health care team, in particular their pump-supervising physician. (Grunberger 2010)
Both guidelines emphasize the choice of CSII device should be based on the patient’s abilities, goals and needs, but neither guideline specifically recommends one device, disposable or non-disposable, over another.
Regulation:
As of this writing, 2 external, disposable insulin infusion devices without visible tubing have received FDA 510(k) premarket approval as Class II devices (product code LZG) and are commercially available in
the U.S. They are:
OmniPod® Insulin Management System (Insulet Corp., Bedford, MA): indicated for patients with diabetes who require insulin. It is a single use, disposable device that consolidates the pump, tubing and subcutaneous needle into one compact unit (pod) and uses wireless remote technology called the Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) to control the insulin pump. The unit is worn up to three days before requiring replacement.
OmniPod®® originally received FDA 510(k) clearance under the name of iXL™-II Diabetes Management System in 2003. Since then, several clearances have been granted that address modifications to the system, most notably integration of in vitro blood glucose measurement into the PDM and smaller and more lightweight models. Newer models are compatible with Novolog®/NovoRapid®, Humalog® or Apidra® brands of U-100 insulin. The next generation OmniPod® insulin pump has been cleared for marketing (K131294) and previous models will be discontinued. (Insulet® 2013)
o OmniPod®® Insulin Management System (Insulet Corp.), cleared on August 29, 2013, (K131294).
o OmniPod®® Insulin Management System (Insulet Corp.), cleared on December 7, 2012 (K122953).
o Freestyle Glucose Meter incorporated into the OmniPod®® Insulin Management Systems (Insulet Corp.) cleared on December 15, 2011 (K111669).
4 o iXL™-II Diabetes Management System with Blood Glucose Measurement (Insulet Corp.) cleared
on January 3, 2005, (K042792).
o iXL™ Diabetes Management System (Insulet Corp.) cleared on December 19, 2003, (K031373). V‐Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery Device (Valeritas Inc., Shrewsbury, MA): indicated for adult
patients with T2DM requiring insulin.(Valeritas 2013) The V‐Go™ is a fully disposable, non‐electronic, self-contained, sterile, patient fillable, single-use disposable, subcutaneous insulin infusion device with an integrated stainless steel subcutaneous needle. After filling the V‐Go™ with insulin, the device is secured to the patient's skin over the infusion site with an adhesive-backed foam pad located on the back of the pump. It provides a continuous preset basal rate of insulin and allows for on‐demand bolus dosing around mealtimes, and must be replaced daily.
Three device models (delivering 20, 30 and 40 Units/day) are preset to address the different basal and bolus requirements of each patient with a window in the top of the pump to allow the user to check the drug in the reservoir and monitor the progress of the infusion. The manufacturer’s website further notes that if regular adjustments or modifications to the preset basal rate of insulin are required in a 24-hour period, or if the amount of insulin used at meals requires adjustments of less than 2-Unit increments, use of the V‐Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery Device may result in hypoglycemia. (Valeritas 2013)
o V‐Go™ Insulin Delivery System (Models V‐Go™ 20, V‐Go™ 30, V‐Go™ 40; Valeritas LLC) qualified using Humalog® and Novolog®, cleared on February 23, 2011 (K103825).
o V‐Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery Device (Models V‐Go™ 20, V‐Go™ 30, V‐Go™40; Valeritas LLC) qualified using Humalog®, cleared December 1, 2010 (K100504).
Findings:
No systematic reviews or economic analyses of either the OmniPod® or V‐Go™ external insulin infusion pumps were identified. Existing evidence from Hayes Search & Summary reports consists of small, observational studies of patients with diabetes who are experienced in the use of traditional CSII. (Hayes 2013a; Hayes 2013b) One additional study investigated single-dose and averaged-dose accuracy of
incremental basal deliveries for the OmniPod® and three durable models of insulin pumps. (Jahn 2013) The findings are summarized below:
For the V‐Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery device, two small, low quality studies were found with insufficient reporting on patient selection criteria or health outcomes to permit conclusions on its safety or impact on health outcomes.
For the Omnipod®, results of low quality, single clinical studies suggest the OmniPod® may offer comparable short-term glycemic control to that of traditional CSII pumps in young adults and children with T1DM, and in adults with uncontrolled T2DM with severe insulin resistance. The newer, lighter OmniPod® models offer ease of use and may be preferred particularly by those with active lifestyles. These results have not been replicated in larger, higher quality studies, nor has the impact on other health outcomes been determined.
5 Results of single technical studies suggest that the OmniPod® may not improve upon the technical
limitations of traditional CSII using current insulin analogues that are not rapid enough to achieve desired peak pre-prandial insulin concentrations, catheter wear time that may affect insulin absorption, or dose accuracy. However, insulin delivery with the OmniPod® may be less susceptible to the siphon effect that might occur as a result of the position of the traditional CSII pump in relation to its tubing. The clinical significance of these findings has not been evaluated. With significant numbers of adverse effects and safety issues reported to FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database, the existing research evidence of the OmniPod® is insufficient to permit conclusions
regarding its safety and effectiveness.
Study types consulted in preparing this policy: Systematic reviews, which synthesize results qualitatively or pool results from multiple studies to achieve larger sample sizes and greater precision of effect
estimation than in smaller primary studies, use pre-determined transparent methods to minimize bias, effectively applying scientific methods to a review to enhance the reliability of the findings; thus, they are rated highest in evidence grading hierarchies. Economic analyses (e.g. cost-effectiveness, -benefit or -utility studies) that report both costs and outcomes ideally based on randomized controlled trials, but excluding simple cost studies, also rank near the top of evidence hierarchies. The table below details the available systematic reviews, longitudinal studies and economic analyses for disposable insulin patch infusion pumps.
Summary of Clinical Evidence
Citation Population/Inter-vention
Content, Methods, Recommendations Hayes
2013a
V‐Go™ Key points
Searches retrieved 6 review articles, 1 cohort study (n=6), 1 retrospective cohort study (n=23); low quality.
7 adverse events associated with the V‐Go™ system in MAUDE database, no recalls reported.
Hayes viewpoint: There is insufficient published evidence to assess the safety and/or impact on health outcomes or patient management. Hayes
2013b
OmniPod® Key points
Searches retrieved 5 reviews, 1 multicenter comparison, cohort study (n=6), 3 laboratory studies, 1 randomized crossover study (n=29), 1 prospective study (n=20), 1 comparison study (n=20) and 3 conference abstracts; low quality.
> 500 adverse events listed in MAUDE database associated with the OmniPod® device since August 2012.
Results of single studies suggest:
Young adult patients with T1DM experienced with CSII preferred OmniPod® to CSII and OmniPod® fit better into their lifestyle without compromising glycemic control.
OmniPod® improves glycemic control and QOL better than MDI in children with T1DM.
OmniPod® using U500 regular insulin was safe and effective at glycemic control in adults with uncontrolled T2DM and severe insulin resistance.
Results of single studies suggest OmniPod® may not overcome technical limitations of traditional CSII with respect to: inability to achieve desired pre-prandial peak insulin concentration due to the
6 Citation
Population/Inter-vention
Content, Methods, Recommendations
relatively slow PK of current insulin analogues; or the effect of catheter wear time on insulin absorption.
Results of one study suggest OmniPod® may offer less variation in insulin delivery than traditional CSII that may be susceptible to the siphon effect in the tubing during low basal rates.
Hayes Viewpoint: There is insufficient published evidence to assess the safety and/or impact on health outcomes or patient management. Jahn 2013 Animas OneTouch®
Ping® Roche Accu-Chek® Medtronic Paradigm® Revel/Veo Insulet OmniPod® Key points:
Technical in vitro evaluation of single-dose and averaged-dose accuracy of incremental basal deliveries for one patch model and three durable models of insulin pumps.
Results: significant differences in single-dose and averaged-dose accuracy among the insulin pumps tested, differences were most evident between the OmniPod® and the durable pump models.
Of the pumps studied, the Animas OneTouch® Ping® demonstrated the best single-dose and averaged-dose accuracy. Further research on the clinical relevance of these findings is warranted.
Other Clinical Policies
Organization Policy CMS NCD Infusion Pumps Manual Section 280.14
No specific mention of disposable external CSII eg. OmniPod® or V-Go™ (Effective for Services Performed On or after December 17, 2004)
Continuous subcutaneous INSULIN INFUSION (CSII) and related drugs/supplies are covered as medically reasonable and necessary in the home setting for the treatment of diabetic patients who: (1) either meet the updated fasting C-Peptide testing requirement, or, are beta cell autoantibody positive; and, (2) satisfy the remaining criteria for insulin pump therapy as described below. Patients must meet either Criterion A or B as follows:
Criterion A: The patient has completed a comprehensive diabetes education program, and has been on a program of multiple daily injections of insulin (i.e., at least 3 injections per day), with frequent self-adjustments of insulin doses for at least 6 months prior to initiation of the insulin pump, and has documented frequency of glucose self-testing an average of at least 4 times per day during the 2 months prior to initiation of the insulin pump, and meets one or more of the following criteria while on the multiple daily injection regimen:
Glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbAlc) > 7.0 percent;
History of recurring hypoglycemia;
Wide fluctuations in blood glucose before mealtime;
Dawn phenomenon with fasting blood sugars frequently exceeding 200 mg/dl; or,
History of severe glycemic excursions.
Criterion B: The patient with diabetes has been on a pump prior to enrollment in Medicare and has documented frequency of glucose self-testing an average of at least 4 times per day during the month prior to Medicare enrollment.
7 requirements must be met:
Must be beta cell autoantibody positive OR
The patient with diabetes must be insulinopenic per the updated fasting C-peptide testing requirement defined below:
Insulinopenia is defined as a fasting C-peptide level that is less than or equal to 110% of the lower limit of normal of the laboratory's measurement method.
For patients with renal insufficiency and creatinine clearance (actual or calculated from age, gender, weight, and serum creatinine) ≤50 ml/minute, insulinopenia is defined as a fasting C-peptide level that is less than or equal to 200% of the lower limit of normal of the laboratory's measurement method.
Fasting C-peptide levels will only be considered valid with a concurrently obtained fasting glucose ≤225 mg/dL.
Levels only need to be documented once in the medical records.
Continued coverage of the insulin pump would require that the patient be seen and evaluated by the treating physician at least every 3 months.
The pump must be ordered by and follow-up care of the patient must be managed by a physician who manages multiple patients with CSII and who works closely with a team including nurses, diabetes educators, and dietitians who are knowledgeable in the use of CSII.
Glossary of terms:
Basal insulin: a low level of insulin that covers the body’s need for insulin between meals and during the night.
Bolus insulin: the additional amounts of insulin needed in response to glucose taken in during a meal. Diabetes: a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood.
Fingerstick: blood test that measures the amount of glucose in a drop of venous blood produced by pricking the finger.
Glucose: bimple sugar found in the blood.
Glycemia: the concentration of glucose in the blood.
Glycemic Control: typical levels of blood glucose in a person with diabetes mellitus used as a "target" goal for treatment.
Glycemic Excursions: fluctuation of a person’s blood glucose levels during the course of a day.
Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level: the attachment of glucose to hemoglobin A in the blood; also: a test that measures the level of hemoglobin A1c in the blood to determine the average blood sugar concentrations for the preceding two to three months‐ also called glycated hemoglobin, glycohemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, HA1c or HbA1c.
8 Hypoglycemia: abnormally low level of glucose in blood.
Insulin: hormone released by the pancreas in response to increased levels of glucose in the blood. Insulinopenia: deficient secretion of insulin by the pancreas, resulting in hyperglycemia.
Prandial: during or relating to a meal.
Rapid acting insulin: a type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 5 to 10 minutes after injection and has its strongest effect 30 minutes to 3 hours after injection, depending on the type used. Real Time: the process of producing information without any delay.
Subcutaneous: administration by injection under the skin.
Type 1 Diabetes: a life‐long condition in which the pancreas stops making insulin. Previously known as “insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus,” (IDDM) or “juvenile diabetes”
Type 2 Diabetes: a form of diabetes in which insulin is present but does not work adequately because the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Previously known as “adult onset diabetes mellitus,” or “noninsulin‐ dependent diabetes mellitus”
Related Policies:
TrueBlue Utilization Management Program Description
REFERENCES
Professional Society Guidelines
American Diabetes Assocation. (2013). "Standards of medical care in diabetes--2013." Diabetes Care 36 Suppl 1: S11-66.
Grunberger, G., et al. (2010). "Statement by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Consensus Panel on insulin pump management." Endocr Pract 16(5): 746-762.
Peer-Reviewed References
Anhalt H, Bohannon NJ. Insulin patch pumps: their development and future in closed-loop systems. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2010 Jun;12 Suppl 1:S51-8.
Golden SH, Brown T, Yeh HC, Maruthur N, Ranasinghe P, Berger Z, et al. Methods for Insulin Delivery and Glucose Monitoring: Comparative Effectiveness. Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 57. (Prepared by Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10061-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 12-EHC036-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. July 2012. Hayes WS. Hayes Search & Summary. V-Go™ Disposable Insulin Delivery Device (Valeritas Inc.). July 1, 2013. Accessed October 30, 2013. (a)
9 Hayes WS. Hayes Search & Summary. Omnipod® Insulin Management System (Insulet Company). May 23, 2013. Accessed October 30, 2013. (b)
Jahn LG, Capurro JJ, Levy BL. Comparative dose accuracy of durable and patch insulin infusion pumps. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2013 Jul;7(4):1011-20.
Valeritas, Inc. The V-Go®. Helps control blood glucose with simple basal-bolus insulin delivery. Available at: https://www.valeritas.com/vgo. Accessed November 5, 2013.
Yeh HC, Brown TT, Maruthur N, Ranasinghe P, Berger Z, Suh YD, et al. Comparative effectiveness and safety of methods of insulin delivery and glucose monitoring for diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Sep 4;157(5):336-47.
Clinical Trials
Searched clinicaltrials.gov using “omnipod” or “V-Go”. Only active files listed:
"Artificial Pancreas Control System in an Inpatient Setting." http://ClinicalTrials.gov/show/NCT01552603 Active not recruiting.
"Artificial Pancreas Control System in an Outpatient Setting." http://ClinicalTrials.gov/show/NCT01871870 Active not recruiting.
"Outpatient Control-to-Range: System and Monitoring Testing." http://ClinicalTrials.gov/show/NCT01697150 Active not recruiting.
"Effectiveness of V-Go™ for Patients With Diabetes in a Real-world Setting (SIMPLE)." http://ClinicalTrials.gov/show/NCT01326598 Active not recruiting.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Coverage Determination
280.14 Infusion Pumps http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/ncd-details.aspx?NCDId=223&ver=2Local Coverage Determinations
L5044 External Infusion Pumps NHIC, Corp. (16003) http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/lcd-details.aspx?LCDId=5044&ver=84&ContrId=137&ContrVer=1
L11555 External Infusion Pumps CGS Administrators, LLC (18003) http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/lcd-details.aspx?LCDId=11555&ver=76&ContrId=140&ContrVer=2 L11570 External Infusion Pumps Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (19003)
http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/lcd-details.aspx?LCDId=11570&ver=84&ContrId=139&ContrVer=2
10 L27215 External Infusion Pumps National Government Services, Inc. (17003)
http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/lcd-details.aspx?LCDId=27215&ver=32&ContrId=138&ContrVer=1
Commonly Submitted Codes:
Below are the most commonly submitted codes for the service(s)/item(s) subject to this policy. This is not an exhaustive list of codes. Providers are expected to consult the appropriate coding manuals and bill in accordance with those manuals.
CPT Code
Description
Comment
96521 REFILLING AND MAINTENANCE OF PORTABLE PUMP 99601 HOME INFUSION/SPECIALTY DRUG ADMINISTRATION, PER VISIT
(UP TO 2 HOURS)
ICD-9 Code
Description
Comment
249.00 -
249.91 Secondary diabetes mellitus 250.00 -
250.93 Diabetes mellitus 648.00 -
648.04
Diabetes mellitus complicating pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium
V58.67 Long-term (current) use of insulin V45.85 Insulin pump status
ICD-10
Code
Description
Comment
E089 Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition without complications
E099 Drug or chemical induced diabetes mellitus without complications
E139 Other specified diabetes mellitus without complications E119 Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications
O24xx Unspecified pre-existing diabetes mellitus in pregnancy, unspecified trimester
Z794 Long term (current) use of insulin
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HCPCS
Level II
Description
Comment
A4230 Infusion set for external insulin pump, nonneedle cannula type A4231 Infusion set for external insulin pump, needle type
A4232 Syringe with needle for external insulin pump, sterile, 3cc
A9274 External ambulatory insulin delivery system, disposable, each, includes all supplies and accessories
E0782 Infusion pump, implantable, nonprogrammable (includes all components, e.g., pump, catheter, connectors, etc.)
E0783 Infusion pump system, implantable, programmable (includes all components, e.g., pump, catheter, connectors, etc.)
E0784 External ambulatory infusion pump, insulin
disposable external
insulin delivery
device not covered
S9353
Home infusion therapy, continuous insulin infusion therapy; administrative services, professional pharmacy services, care coordination, and all necessary supplies and equipment (drugs and nursing visits coded separately), per diem
S9145 Insulin pump initiation, instruction in initial use of pump (pump not included)
List of potential ICD-10 codes
E10.641
E10.649
E10.65
E10.69
E10.8
E10.9
E11.641
E11.649
E11.65
E11.69
E11.8
E11.9
E13.641
E13.649
E13.65
E13.69
E13.8
E13.9
O99.810
Type 1 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia with coma
Type 1 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia without coma
Type 1 diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia
Type 1 diabetes mellitus with other specified complication
Type 1 diabetes mellitus with unspecified complications
Type 1 diabetes mellitus without complications
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia with coma
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia without coma
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other specified complication
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with unspecified complications
Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications
Other specified diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia with coma
Other specified diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia without coma
Other specified diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia
Other specified diabetes mellitus with other specified complication
Other specified diabetes mellitus with unspecified complications
Other specified diabetes mellitus without complications
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Disclaimer:
TrueBlue has developed clinical policies to assist with making coverage determinations.
TrueBlue clinical policies are based on guidelines from established industry sources such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), State regulatory agencies, the American Medical Association (AMA), medical specialty professional societies, and peer reviewed professional literature. These clinical policies, along with other sources, such as plan benefits and state and federal laws and regulatory requirements, areconsidered by TrueBlue when making coverage determinations. TrueBlue clinical policies are for informational purposes only and not intended as medical advice or to direct treatment. Physicians and other health care providers are solely responsible for the treatment decisions for their patients. TrueBlue clinical policies are reflective of evidence based medicine at the time of review. As medical science evolves, TrueBlue will update its clinical policies as necessary. TrueBlue clinical policies are not guarantees of payment.
