Effective September 28, 2019
Updates to AIM Advanced Imaging Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines
Effective for dates of service on and after September 28, 2019, the following updates will apply to the AIM Specialty Health® Advanced Imaging Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines.
Brain Imaging Guideline contains updates to the following:
Infection, multiple sclerosis and other white matter diseases, movement disorders (adult only), neurocognitive disorders (adult only), trauma, pituitary adenoma, tumor, hematoma or hemorrhage – intracranial or extracranial, Hydrocephalus/ventricular assessment, pseudotumor cerebri, spontaneous intracranial hypotension, abnormality on neurologic exam, ataxia, dizziness or vertigo, headache, hearing loss and tinnitus.
Extremity Imaging Guideline contains updates to the following:
Congenital or developmental anomalies of the extremity (pediatric only), discoid meniscus (pediatric only), soft tissue infection, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, bursitis, capitellar osteochondritis, fracture, patellar dislocation, patellar sleeve avulsion, trauma complications, bone lesions, soft tissue mass – not otherwise specified, Lisfranc injury, labral tear – hip, labral tear – shoulder, meniscal tear and ligament tear of the knee, rotator cuff tear (adult only), avascular necrosis, lipohemarthrosis (pediatric only), Paget’s disease – new multimodality indication and general perioperative imaging (including delayed hardware failure), not otherwise specified.
Spine Imaging Guideline contains updates to the following:
Multiple sclerosis or other white matter disease, spinal infection, cervical injury, thoracic or lumbar injury, Paget’s disease, spontaneous (idiopathic) intracranial hypotension (SIH), perioperative imaging, including delayed hardware failure, not otherwise specified, neck pain (cervical), mid-back pain (thoracic).
Effective September 8, 2019
Updates to AIM Specialty Health® Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines for Genetic Testing
Effective for dates of service on and after September 8, 2019, the following updates will apply to the AIM Specialty Health® Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines for Genetic Testing.
Genetic Testing for Single-Gene and Multifactorial Conditions Guideline contains updates to the following:
The single gene and multigene criteria were re-formatted and combined into one section entitled, Genetic Testing for Germline Conditions. No criteria changes.
Molecular Testing of Solid and Hematologic Tumors and Malignancies Guideline contains updates to the following:
Scope revised to include the need for potential additional adjudication for testing required by plans’ pharmaceutical policies. Coverage Criteria revised to include testing criteria for NTRK fusions. Coverage Criteria revised to expand recommendations for breast cancer gene expression classifiers for prognostic purposes. More specific criteria was included for pancreatic cancer.
Genetic Testing for Pharmacogenetic and Thrombophilia Guideline contains updates to the following:
Coverage Criteria expanded to allow pharmacogenetic testing when identification of the genetic variant is required or recommended prior to initiating therapy with a target drug as noted by the FDA-approved prescribing label.
Effective August 2, 2019
Pharmacologic Treatment of Osteoporosis, 5.01.596
Forteo® (teriparatide), Tymlos® (abaloparatide), and Prolia® (denosumab) may be considered medically necessary when criteria are met. They are considered investigational when criteria are not met. The policy is revised to add medical necessity criteria for Evenity™ (romosozumab-aqqg) and update the criteria for Tymlos® (abaloparatide).
Synthetic Cartilage Implants for Joint Pain, 7.01.160
Synthetic cartilage implants are considered investigational for the treatment of articular cartilage damage.
Effective July 31, 2019
Pharmacotherapy of Arthropathies, 5.01.550
The policy is revised to add dose frequency to Remicade® (infliximab), Inflectra® (infliximab-dyyb), and Renflexis®(infliximab-abda). The criteria for Orencia® (abatacept) are updated. Review the policy for full details.
Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, 5.01.563
The policy is revised to add dose frequency and age restriction to Remicade® (infliximab), Inflectra® (infliximab-dyyb), and Renflexis® (infliximab-abda). Review the policy for full details.
Effective July 14, 2019
AIM Clinical Guidelines for Oncologic Imaging to Include PET Radiotracers
AIM Specialty Health® Guidelines for Oncologic Imaging have been changed to include PET radiotracers. As of July 14, 2019, AIM will review prior authorization requests for both non-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) radiotracers and PET-CT.
Effective July 4, 2019
Absorbable Nasal Implant for Treatment of Nasal Valve Collapse, 7.01.163
The insertion of an absorbable lateral nasal implant (eg, Latera®) for the treatment of symptomatic nasal valve collapse is considered investigational.
C5 Complement Inhibitors, 5.01.571
The policy updates the criteria for Soliris® (eculizumab) for the indication of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Criteria for the drug Ultomiris™ (ravulizumab-cwvz) are also added.