The following policies were recently reviewed for annual update. The full text of these policies are available in the Provider section of bcbsri.com.

• Axial Lumbosacral Interbody Fusion
• Behavioral Health Services
• Cochlear Implants
• Colorectal Screening Mandate
• Dry Needling of Myofascial Trigger Points
• Home Uterine Activity Monitoring
• Hyperthermia for Cancer Treatment
• Intraocular Lens (IOL) Implants
• Measurement of Small Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL) Particles
• Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders Mandate
• New Provider Credentialing Process
• Ophthalmologic Techniques for Evaluating the Posterior Segment for Glaucoma
• Orthotic and Prosthetic Services Mandate
• Paraspinal Surface Electromyography (SEMG) to Evaluate and Monitor Back Pain
• Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapy
• Peripheral Subcutaneous Field Stimulation
• Private Duty Nursing
• Progesterone Therapy as a Technique to Reduce Preterm Birth in High-Risk Pregnancies
• Prolia and Xgeva (denosumab)
• Prolonged Physician Services
• Prostatic Urethral Lift
• Provenge (sipuleucel-T)
• Radicava (edaravone)
• Self-Treatment or Treatment of Immediate Family Members
• Spinraza (nusinersen)
• Stelara (ustekinumab)
• Ultrasonographic Measurement of Carotid Intima-Medial Thickness as an Assessment of Subclinical Artherosclerosis
• Viscocanalostomy and Canaloplasty
• Xiaflex (clostridial collagenase)
• Yescarta (axicabtagene)

For your review, we also post monthly drafts of medical policies being created or reassessed. As a reminder, you can provide comments on draft policies for up to 30 days. Draft policies are located on the Provider homepage, under the Medical Policies section, under the drop-down “Draft Medical Policies."