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

• Cardiac Hemodynamic Monitoring
• Cochlear Implant
• Cryosurgical Ablation of Miscellaneous Solid Tumors other than Renal
• Drug Testing
• Emergency Department Waiver of Co-Payment
• Hearing Aid Mandate
• In Vitro Chemoresistance and Chemosensitivity Assays
• Intravitreal and Punctum Corticosteroid Implants
• Meniscal Allograft Transplantation and Collagen Meniscus Implants
• Non-Reimbursable Health Service Codes
• Prostatic Urethral Lift
• Saturation Biopsy for Diagnosis, Staging, and Management of Prostate Cancer
• Skin Contact Monochromatic Infrared Energy as a Technique to Treat Cutaneous Ulcers, Diabetic Neuropathy and Miscellaneous Conditions
• Synthetic Cartilage Implants for Joint Pain
• Thoracic-Lumbo-Sacral Orthosis with Pneumatics
• Total Joint Arthroplasty – Hip and Knee
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
• Tumor Treating Fields for Glioblastoma

We also post monthly drafts of medical policies being created or reassessed for your review. 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."