Local Coverage Determination (LCD)

Home Health Occupational Therapy

L34560

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Proposed LCD
Proposed LCDs are works in progress that are available on the Medicare Coverage Database site for public review. Proposed LCDs are not necessarily a reflection of the current policies or practices of the contractor.

Document Note

Note History

Contractor Information

LCD Information

Document Information

Source LCD ID
N/A
LCD ID
L34560
Original ICD-9 LCD ID
Not Applicable
LCD Title
Home Health Occupational Therapy
Proposed LCD in Comment Period
N/A
Source Proposed LCD
N/A
Original Effective Date
For services performed on or after 10/01/2015
Revision Effective Date
For services performed on or after 06/09/2022
Revision Ending Date
N/A
Retirement Date
N/A
Notice Period Start Date
N/A
Notice Period End Date
N/A

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Issue

Issue Description

This LCD outlines limited coverage for this service with specific details under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity.

Issue - Explanation of Change Between Proposed LCD and Final LCD

CMS National Coverage Policy

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1814(a)(2)(C) requirement of requests and certifications

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1862(a)(1)(A) allows coverage and payment for only those services that are considered to be reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member

42 CFR §409.32 Criteria for skilled services and the need for skilled services

42 CFR §409.42 Beneficiary qualifications for coverage of services

42 CFR §409.43 Plan of care requirements

42 CFR §424.22 Requirements for home health services

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7, §20.1.2 Determination of Coverage, §30.4 Needs Skilled Nursing Care on an Intermittent Basis (Other than Solely Venipuncture for the Purposes of Obtaining a Blood Sample), Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, or Has Continued Need for Occupational Therapy, §40.2.1 General Principles Governing Reasonable and Necessary Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, and Occupational Therapy, §40.2.4 Application of the General Principles to Occupational Therapy, §40.2.4.1 Assessment, §40.2.4.2 Planning, Implementing, and Supervision of Therapeutic Programs, §40.2.4.3 Illustration of Covered Services, §50.1 Skilled Nursing, Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, and Occupational Therapy

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 8, §40.1 Who May Sign the Certification or Recertification for Extended Care Services

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, §220 Coverage of Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Services (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology Services) Under Medical Insurance, §220.1.4 Requirement That Services Be Furnished on an Outpatient Basis, §220.2 Reasonable and Necessary Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Services and §230.2 Practice of Occupational Therapy

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 1, §10.2 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Acute Post-Operative Pain, §30.1 Biofeedback Therapy and §30.1.1 Biofeedback Therapy for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 2, §150.8 Fluidized Therapy Dry Heat for Certain Musculoskeletal Disorders, §160.7 Electrical Nerve Stimulator, §160.7.1 Assessing Patients Suitability for Electrical Nerve Stimulation Therapy, §160.12 Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulator (NMES), §160.13 Supplies Used in the Delivery of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), §160.15 Electrotherapy for Treatment of Facial Nerve Palsy (Bell’s Palsy) and §160.27 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 3, §170.1 Institutional and Home Care Patient Education Programs

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 4, §240.3 Heat Treatment, Including the Use of Diathermy and Ultra-Sound for Pulmonary Conditions, §270.1 Electrical Stimulation (ES) and Electromagnetic Therapy for the Treatment of Wounds and §270.6 Infrared Therapy Devices

CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-08, Medicare Program Integrity Manual, Chapter 6, §6.2 Medical Review of Home Health Services, §6.2.1 Physician Certification of Patient Eligibility for the Medicare Home Health Benefit, §6.2.1.1 Certification Requirements, §6.2.2 Physician Recertification, §6.2.2.1 Recertification Elements, §6.2.3 The Use of the Patient’s Medical Record Documentation to Support the Home Health Certification, §6.2.5 Medical Necessity of Services Provided, §6.2.6 Examples of Sufficient Documentation Incorporated Into a Physician’s Medical Record and §6.2.7 Medical Review of Home Health Demand Bills

Coverage Guidance

Coverage Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity

Although rehabilitative services are provided by physical therapy (PT), speech therapy (ST) and occupational therapy (OT), this policy only addresses OT.

OT is an integral component of rehabilitative services in the areas of physical, cognitive and psychosocial impairment. OT is based on purposeful, goal directed activity (occupation). The goal of OT is to prevent, improve or restore physical and/or cognitive impairment following disease or injury.

Occupational therapists utilize clinical history, observation, interview, standardized testing and assessment of activities of daily living (ADLs) skills, work skills and leisure skills to characterize individuals with impairments, functional limitations and disabilities. The results of these assessments are used to identify structural impairments and functional limitations and to design an individualized plan of treatment to assist in improving or restoring function. All OT services must be performed by or under the supervision of a skilled qualified occupational therapist.

1. The treatment approach includes:

  1. Evaluation
  2. Basic activities of daily living (BADLs) training
  3. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) training
  4. Muscle re-education
  5. Cognitive training
  6. Perceptual motor training
  7. Fine motor coordination/strengthening/coordination
  8. Orthotics (splinting)
  9. Adaptive equipment fabrication and training
  10. Environment modification recommendations/training
  11. Patient/caregiver education/training
  12. Transfer training
  13. Functional mobility training
  14. Manual therapy
  15. Physical agent modalities
  16. Neurodevelopment training

2. Coverage of skilled rehabilitation services is contingent upon the beneficiary's need for skilled care whether the goal of therapy includes maintenance or improvement.

3. The pressing need for a service, or the lack of availability of unskilled personnel to render the service with the necessary frequency does not itself make a service skilled. However, some services that would not normally be considered skilled therapy may require the skilled services of a therapy professional because of a special complicating medical factor. This must be clearly evident in the medical record.

4. OT is only covered when it is rendered under a written plan of treatment established by the physician and the qualified occupational therapist and signed (including professional identity) and dated by the physician. The plan of treatment should contain, at a minimum, all diagnoses, long term treatment goals and type, amount, duration and frequency of therapy services. The physician should review the plan of treatment every 60 days.

5. The physician and/or therapist must document the patient's functional limitations in terms that are objective and measurable.

6. Rehabilitation services for vision impairment: Medicare beneficiaries who are blind or visually impaired are eligible for physician prescribed rehabilitation services on the same basis as beneficiaries with other medical conditions.

Maintenance Therapy

Coverage of skilled rehabilitation services is contingent upon a beneficiary's need for skilled care. When a program to maintain or reduce decline in functional status requires the skills of a licensed therapist to be performed safely and effectively, provision of skilled services for the execution of that therapy program is covered. The skilled need must come from the nature of the service being rendered and the patient's unique circumstance. The provision of therapy services by skilled therapy personnel does not itself make the service one that requires skilled care.

Restorative/Rehabilitative therapy

In evaluating a claim for skilled therapy that is restorative/rehabilitative (i.e., whose goal and/or purpose is to reverse, in whole or in part, a previous loss of function), it would be entirely appropriate to consider the beneficiary’s potential for improvement from the services.

Maintenance therapy

Even if no improvement is expected, under the home health (HH) coverage standards, skilled therapy services are covered when an individualized assessment of the patient’s condition demonstrates that skilled care is necessary for the performance of a safe and effective maintenance program to maintain the patient’s current condition or prevent or slow further deterioration. Skilled maintenance therapy may be covered when the particular patient’s special medical complications or the complexity of the therapy procedures require skilled care.

SPECIFIC PROCEDURE AND MODALITY GUIDELINES:

Fabrication/Application of Casts, Splints and Strapping

Fabrication and application of casts, splints and strapping will be considered reasonable and necessary if used to support weak, post-surgical or ineffective joints/muscles, facilitate increased motor response, to assist in compensation in a permanent loss of motor function, reduce/correct joint limitations/deformities and/or protect body parts from injury, thus enhancing the performance of tasks or movements. The casts, splints and strapping are often used in conjunction with therapeutic exercise, functional training, other interventions and should be selected in the context of patients' needs, social/culture environments, BADLs and IADLs.

BODY AND UPPER EXTREMITY CASTS:

Application of long arm

May be indicated for the shoulder and/or elbow in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures and/or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of short arm

May be indicated for the forearm, wrist and/or elbow in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures and/or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of hand and lower forearm

May be indicated for the forearm, wrist and/or hand in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures and/or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of finger cast

May be indicated for the finger in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

SPLINTS:

Application of long arm splint

May be indicated for the shoulder and/or elbow in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of short arm splint

May be indicated for the forearm, wrist and/or hand in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprain/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of finger splint

May be indicated for the finger in the treatment of fractures, dislocations, sprains/strains, tendinitis, post-op reconstruction, treatment of spasticity, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

STRAPPING:

Strapping of thorax

May be indicated for the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, rib cage or abdominal musculature in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures, or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of low back

May be indicated for the lumbar spine, rib cage or abdominal musculature in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprain/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of shoulder

May be indicated for any portion of the shoulder girdle complex or rib cage in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of elbow or wrist

May be indicated for the elbow or wrist when there is involvement of the humerus, forearm, wrist or hand in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, edema, scar management, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of hand or finger

May be indicated where there is involvement of the hand or fingers in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, edema, scar management, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

LOWER EXTREMITY CASTS:

Application of long leg cast

May be indicated when there is involvement of the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, ankle or foot in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Application of short leg cast

May be indicated when there is involvement of the tibia, fibula, ankle or foot in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

SPLINTS:

Applications of long leg splint

May be indicated when there is involvement of the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, ankle or foot in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Applications of short leg splint

May be indicated when there is involvement of the tibia, fibula, ankle or foot in the treatment of contusions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

STRAPPING:

Strapping of hip

May be indicated when there is involvement of the lower back, abdomen or hip in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op contusions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of knee

May be indicated when there is involvement of the lower leg, ankle and/or foot in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op contusions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of ankle

May be indicated when there is involvement of the lower leg, ankle and/or foot in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Strapping of toes

May be indicated when there is involvement of any of the toes in the treatment of contusions, dislocations, fractures, sprains/strains, post-op conditions, neuro-muscular conditions, contractures or other deformities involving soft tissue.

Biofeedback Training by any Modality and Biofeedback Training, Perineal Muscles, anorectal or urethral sphincter, including electromyography (EMG) and/or manometry

The coverage criteria and definition of biofeedback is found in the CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 1, §30.1 Biofeedback Therapy and §30.1.1 Biofeedback Therapy for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence.

Evaluation of oral and pharyngeal swallowing function

The evaluation of oropharyngeal swallowing dysfunction including the phases of oral preparatory, oral/voluntary and pharyngeal in reference to oral and motility problems in the oral cavity and pharynx.

The clinical examination may include:

a) History of patient's disorder and awareness of swallowing disorder, and indications of localization and nature of disorder
b) Medical status including nutritional and respiratory status
c) Oral anatomy/physiology (labial control, lingual control, palatal function)
d) Pharyngeal function
e) Laryngeal function
f) Ability to follow directions, alertness
g) Efforts and interventions used to facilitate normal swallow (compensatory strategies such as chin tuck, dietary changes, etc.)
h) Identifying symptoms during attempts to swallow

The clinical examination can be divided into 2 phases:

1. The preparatory examination with no swallow
2. The initial swallow examination with actual swallow while physiology is observed

Note: Based on the findings, an instrumental exam may be recommended.

Treatment of swallowing dysfunction and/or oral function for feeding

This involves the treatment for impairments/functional limitations of mastication, the preparatory phase, oral phase, pharyngeal stage and esophageal phase of swallowing. Make appropriate recommendations regarding diet and compensatory techniques and instruct in direct/indirect therapies to facilitate oral motor control for feeding.

Muscle testing, manual 

Muscle testing, manual (separate procedure), extremity (excluding hand) or trunk with report

For extremity manual muscle testing, every muscle of at least 1 extremity would need to be tested with documentation of why such a thorough assessment was warranted.

Muscle testing, manual (separate procedure) with report, hand with or without comparison with normal side 

Muscle testing, manual (separate procedure) with report, total evaluation of body, excluding hands or including hands 

The measurement of muscle performance using manual muscle testing only.

Range of Motion (ROM) Measurements

This is the determination of ROM using a tape measure, ruler, electronic device or goniometer.

Standardized Cognitive Performance Testing

This testing includes neuropsychological testing (e.g., Ross Information Processing Assessment, Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA), Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT), Allen Cognitive Test (ACL)). This is usually done outside the OT initial evaluation/re-evaluation. 

OT Evaluation and OT Re-evaluation

Evaluation is a comprehensive service that requires professional skills to make clinical judgments about conditions for which services are indicated based on objective measurements and subjective evaluations of patient performance and functional abilities. Evaluation is warranted (e.g., for a new diagnosis or when a condition is treated in a new setting). These evaluative judgments are essential to development of the plan of care (POC), including goals and the selection of interventions. The time spent in evaluation does not count as treatment time.

1. The initial examination must have components as described in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7, §40.2.1 General Principles Governing Reasonable and Necessary Physical Therapy.

2. Factors that influence the complexity of the examination and evaluation process include the clinical findings, extent and duration of loss of function, prior functional level, social/environmental considerations, educational level, the patient's overall physical and cognitive health status, social/cultural supports, psychosocial factors and use of adaptive equipment. Thus, the evaluation reflects the chronicity or severity of the current problem, the possibility of multi-site or multi-system involvement, the presence of preexisting systemic conditions or diseases, and the stability of the condition. Occupational therapists also consider the level of the current impairments and the probability of prolonged impairment, functional limitation, the living environment, prior level of function, the social/cultural supports, psychosocial factors and use of adaptive equipment.

3. Initial evaluations or re-evaluations may be determined reasonable and necessary even when the evaluation determines that skilled rehabilitation is not required if the patient's condition showed a need for an evaluation, or even if the goals established by the plan of treatment are not realized.

4. Re-evaluation is periodically indicated during an episode of care when the professional assessment indicates a significant improvement or decline in the patient’s condition or functional status that was not anticipated in the POC. Some regulations and state practice acts require re-evaluation at specific intervals. A re-evaluation is focused on evaluation of progress toward current goals and making a professional judgment about continued care, modifying goals and/or treatment or terminating services.

5. Re-evaluations are appropriate periodically to assess progress toward goals established in the plan of treatment, or to identify and establish interventions for newly developed impairments at least once every 30 days for each therapy discipline. A re-evaluation may be appropriate prior to a planned discharge for the purposes of determining whether goals have been met or for the use of the physician or the treatment setting at which treatment will be continued.

Maintenance Program

A maintenance program is a program designed to maintain or to slow deterioration as described in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, §220 Coverage of Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Services (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology Services) Under Medical Insurance. A maintenance program must meet criteria of CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, §220.2 Reasonable and Necessary Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Services to be considered reasonable and necessary.  

Vasopneumatic Devices

1. The use of vasopneumatic devices may be considered reasonable and necessary for the application of pressure to an extremity for the purpose of reducing edema.

2. Specific indications for the use of vasopneumatic devices include:

  1. Reduction of edema after acute injury
  2. Lymphedema
  3. Education and training on the use of vasopneumatic devices for home use

Paraffin Bath

Paraffin bath, also known as hot wax treatment, is primarily used for pain to increase flexibility of soft tissue and relief in chronic joint problems of the wrists, hands, and feet.

Heat treatments of this type do not ordinarily require the skills of a qualified occupational therapist. However, in a particular case, the skills, knowledge and judgment of a qualified occupational therapist might be required in such treatments or baths (e.g., where the patient's condition is complicated by circulatory deficiency, areas of desensitization, open wounds, fractures or other complications). Also, if such treatments are given prior to but as an integral part of a skilled OT procedure, the treatments would be considered part of the OT service.

Infrared Therapy

Noncoverage of Infrared Therapy Devices is described in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 4, §270.6 Infrared Therapy Devices.

Electrical Stimulation Therapy

Application of a modality to 1 or more areas, electrical stimulation, manual, each 15 minutes.

The coverage criteria and definition of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulator (NMES) and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) are found in the CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 1, §10.2 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Acute Post-Operative Pain and Part 2, §160.7 Electrical Nerve Stimulator, §160.12 Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulator (NEMS) and §160.13 Supplies Used in the Delivery of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES).

For coverage criteria regarding TENS used for treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP) refer to CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 2, §160.27 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP).

Iontophoresis Application

1. Iontophoresis is a process in which electrically charged molecules or atoms (i.e., ions) are driven into tissue with an electrical field. Voltage provides the driving force. Parameters such as drug polarity and electrophoretic mobility must be known in order to be able to assess whether iontophoresis can deliver therapeutic concentrations of a medication at sites below the skin.

2. The application of iontophoresis is considered reasonable and necessary for the topical delivery of medications into a specific area of the body.

3. Specific indications for the use of iontophoresis application may include but are not limited to:

  1. Tendonitis or calcific tendonitis
  2. Bursitis
  3. Adhesive capsulitis
  4. Hyperhidrosis
  5. Thick adhesive scar

Contrast Baths

1. Contrast baths are a special form of therapeutic heat and cold that can be applied to distal extremities. The effectiveness of contrast baths is thought to be due to reflex hyperemia produced by the alternating exposure to heat and cold. Although a variety of applications are possible, contrast baths often are used in treatment to decrease edema and inflammation.

2. The use of contrast baths is considered reasonable and necessary to desensitize patients to pain by reflex hyperemia produced by the alternating exposure to heat and cold.

3. Specific indications for the use of contrast baths include:

  1. The patient having rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory arthritis
  2. The patient having reflex sympathetic dystrophy
  3. The patient having a sprain or strain resulting from an acute injury

4. Heat treatments of this type and whirlpool baths do not ordinarily require the skills of a qualified occupational therapist. However, in a particular case, the skills, knowledge and judgment of a qualified occupational therapist might be required in such treatments or baths (e.g., where the patient's condition is complicated by circulatory deficiency, areas of desensitization, open wounds, fractures or other complications). If such treatments were given prior to but as an integral part of a skilled OT procedure, the treatment would be considered part of the skilled OT service.

Ultrasound (US)

1. Therapeutic US is a deep heating modality that produces a sound wave of 0.8 to 3.0 MHz. In the human body, US has several pronounced effects on biologic tissues. It is attenuated by certain tissues and reflected by bone. Thus, tissues lying immediately next to bone can receive an even greater dosage of US, as much as 30% more. Because of the increased extensibility US produces in tissues of high collagen content, combined with the close proximity of joint capsules, tendons and ligaments to cortical bone where they receive a more intense irradiation, it is an ideal modality for increasing mobility in those tissues with restricted ROM.

2. The application of US is considered reasonable and necessary for patients requiring deep heat to a specific area for reduction of pain, spasm and joint stiffness, and the increase of muscle, tendon and ligament flexibility.

3. Specific indications for the use of US application include:

  1. The patient having tightened structures limiting joint motion that require an increase in extensibility
  2. The patient having symptomatic soft tissue calcification
  3. The patient having neuromas

Note: US is not considered to be reasonable and necessary for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis or any other pulmonary condition.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES

1. Therapeutic procedures are procedures that attempt to reduce impairments and improve function through the application of clinical skills and/or services.

2. Use of these procedures requires that these services be rendered under the supervision of an occupational therapist.

3. Therapeutic exercises and neuromuscular reeducation are examples of therapeutic interventions. The expected goals documented in the written plan of treatment, affected by the use of each of these procedures, will help define whether these procedures are reasonable and necessary. Therefore, since any 1 or a combination of more than 1 of these procedures may be used in a written plan of treatment, documentation must support the use of each procedure as it relates to a specific therapeutic goal.

4. Services provided concurrently by an occupational therapist, physical therapist and speech therapist may be covered, if separate and distinct goals are documented in the written plan of treatment.

5. Requires (1-on-1) direct patient contact.

Therapeutic Exercise

1. Therapeutic exercise is performed with a patient either actively, active-assisted or passively participating (e.g., isokinetic exercise, stretching, strengthening and gross and fine motor movement).

2. Therapeutic exercise with an individualized physical conditioning and exercise program using proper breathing techniques can be considered for a patient with activity limitations secondary to cardiopulmonary impairments.

3. Therapeutic Exercise is considered reasonable and necessary if at least 1 of the following conditions is present and documented:

  1. The patient having weakness, contracture, stiffness secondary to spasm, spasticity, decreased joint ROM, functional mobility deficits, balance and/or coordination deficits, abnormal posture, muscle imbalance.
  2. The patient needing to improve mobility, flexibility, strengthening, coordination, control of extremities, dexterity, ROM or endurance as part of ADLs training, or reeducation.

4. Documentation supporting therapeutic exercise must document objective loss of joint motion, strength, coordination and /or mobility (e.g., degrees of motion, strength grades, and levels of assistance).

Neuromuscular Reeducation

1. This therapeutic procedure is provided to improve balance, coordination, kinesthetic sense, posture, motor planning, body awareness, and proprioception (e.g., proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, Feldenkrais, and Bobath).

2. Neuromuscular reeducation may be considered reasonable and necessary for impairments which affect the body’s neuromuscular system (e.g., poor static or dynamic sitting/standing balance, loss of gross and fine motor coordination, desensitization, proprioception, hypo/hypersensitivity, hypo/hypertonicity and neglect).

Massage Therapy

1. Massage is the application of systemic manipulation to the soft tissues of the body for therapeutic purposes. Although various assistive devices and electrical equipment are available for the purpose of delivering massage, use of the hands is considered the most effective method of application, because palpation can be used as an assessment as well as a treatment tool.

2. Massage therapy, including effleurage, pétrissage and/or tapotement (stroking, compression, percussion) may be considered reasonable and necessary if at least 1 of the following conditions is present and documented:

  1. The patient having paralyzed musculature contributing to impaired circulation
  2. The patient having sensitivity of tissues to pressure
  3. The patient having tight muscles resulting in shortening and/or spasticity of affective muscles
  4. The patient having abnormal adherence of tissue to surrounding tissue
  5. The patient having relaxation in preparation for neuromuscular reeducation or therapeutic exercise
  6. The patient having contractures and decreased ROM

Manual Therapy Techniques

1. Joint Mobilization (Peripheral or Spinal)

This procedure may be considered reasonable and necessary if restricted joint motion is present and documented. It may be reasonable and necessary as an adjunct to therapeutic exercises when loss of articular motion and flexibility impedes the therapeutic procedure.

2. Soft Tissue Mobilization

This procedure involves the application of skilled manual therapy techniques (active or passive) to soft tissues in order to effect changes in the soft tissues, articular structures, neural or vascular systems. Examples are facilitation of fluid exchange, restoration of movement in acutely edematous muscles or stretching of shortened muscular or connective tissue.

Myofascial release/soft tissue mobilization can be considered reasonable and necessary if at least 1 of the following conditions is present and documented:

  1. The patient having restricted joint or soft tissue motion in an extremity, neck or trunk
  2. Treatment being a necessary adjunct to other OT interventions

3. Manual Lymphatic Drainage/Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy

The goal of this type of therapy is to reduce lymphedema by routing the fluid to functional pathways, preventing backflow as the new routes become established and to use the most appropriate methods to maintain the reduction after therapy is complete. This therapy involves intensive treatment to reduce the size of the extremity by a combination of manual decongestive therapy and serial compression bandaging, followed by an exercise program.

  1. It is expected that during these sessions, education is being provided to the patient and/or caregiver on the correct application of the compression bandage.
  2. It is also expected that after the completion of the therapy, the patient and/or caregiver can perform these activities without supervision.

Orthotics Fitting

1. This procedure may be considered reasonable and necessary if there is an indication for education for the application of orthotics and the functional use of the orthotic is present and documented.

2. Generally, orthotic training can be completed in 3 visits, however for modification of the orthotic due to healing of tissue, change in edema or impairment in skin integrity additional visits may be required.

3. The medical record should document the distinct treatments rendered when orthotic training for upper and lower extremity is done.

4. The patient is capable of being trained to use the particular device prescribed in an appropriate manner. In some cases, the patient may not be able to perform this function but a responsible individual can be trained to apply the device.

Prosthetic Training

1. This procedure and training may be considered reasonable and necessary if there is an indication for education in the application of the prosthesis and the functional use of the prosthesis is present and documented.

2. The medical record should document the distinct goals and service rendered when prosthetic training for upper and lower extremity is done.

3. Periodic revisits beyond the third month would require documentation to support medical necessity.

Orthotic/Prosthetic Checkout

1. These assessments are reasonable and necessary when there is a modification or reissue of a recently issued device or a reassessment of a newly issued device.

2. These assessments may be reasonable and necessary when patients experience a loss of function directly related to the device (e.g., pain, skin breakdown and falls).

3. These assessments may be reasonable and necessary for determining "the patient's response to wearing the device, determining whether the patient is donning/doffing the device correctly, determining the patient's need for padding, underwrap or socks and determining the patient's tolerance to any dynamic forces being applied."

Therapeutic Activities

1. Therapeutic activities are considered reasonable and necessary for patients needing a broad range of rehabilitative techniques. Activities can be for a specific body part or could involve the entire body. This procedure involves the use of functional activities to improve performance in a progressive manner. The activities are usually directed at a loss or impairment of mobility, strength, balance, coordination or cognition. They require the skills of occupational therapists and are designed to address a specific functional need of the patient. These dynamic activities must be part of an active written plan of treatment and be directed at a specific outcome.

2. In order for therapeutic activities to be covered the following requirements must be met:

  1. The patient having a condition for which therapeutic activities can reasonably be expected to restore or improve functioning
  2. The patient’s condition being such that he/she is unable to perform therapeutic activities except under the supervision of an occupational therapist
  3. There is a clear correlation between the type of exercise performed and the patient’s underlying medical condition for which the therapeutic activities were prescribed

Cognitive Skills Development

1. This procedure is reasonable and necessary for patients who have a disease or injury in which impairment of cognitive functioning is documented. Impaired functions may include but are not limited to the ability to follow simple commands, attention to tasks, improve problem solving skills, improve memory, ability to follow numerous steps in a process, ability to complete a logical sequence task and "ability to organize parts of concepts or thoughts into a whole."

2. This procedure is reasonable and necessary only when it requires the skills of an occupational therapist and is designed to address specific needs of the patient and is part of the written POC.

3. Treatment techniques utilized include but are not limited to: recall of information, tabletop graded activities focusing on attentional skills (e.g., cancellation tasks, mazes), graded processes in steps which the patient must follow to complete the task and computer programs that focus on the above.

4. Development of cognitive skills must be reasonable and necessary to restore and improve functioning of the patient. Documentation must relate the training to expected functional goals that are attainable by the patient.

5. Services provided concurrently by physicians, occupational therapists and speech therapists may be covered if separate and distinct goals are documented in the written plan of treatment.

Sensory Integration

The use of sensory integrative techniques is considered reasonable and necessary when patients must develop adaptive skills for sensory processing. When there has been a disruption of the auditory, vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and/or visual system, interventions are required to assist the patient in remaining functional in their environment. The loss of sensory systems often compromises the safety of the patient; therefore, therapy should provide adaptations that allow the patient to interact with their environment that promotes well-being.

Self-Care/Home Management Training

The coverage criteria and definition of self-care/home management training is found in the CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-03, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Part 3, §170.1 Institutional and Home Care Patient Education Programs.

Community/Work Reintegration Training

Services that are related solely to specific employment opportunities, work skills or work settings are not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of an illness or injury and are excluded from coverage by §1862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act.

Services that are covered include complex IADL’s a person must do to maintain independence in the community. These tasks involve interaction with the physical and social environment. Examples of these activities may include telephone skills, written communication, handling mail, use of money, shopping from home, emergency procedure use/skills and use of assistive technology device/adaptive equipment. This service is only covered when the skilled intervention of OT is required to achieve established goals.

Wheelchair Management Training

Wheelchair management includes assessing if the patient/client needs a wheelchair, determining what kind of wheelchair is appropriate, including its size and components, measuring the patient/client to ensure proper fit and fitting the patient/client into the chair once it is received. It is important for the therapist to provide instructions for safety so as not to risk skin breakdown or a fall.

1. This service trains the patient in functional activities that promote optimal safety, mobility and transfers. Patients who are wheelchair bound may occasionally need skilled input on positioning to avoid pressure points, contractures, and other medical complications.

2. This procedure is reasonable and necessary only when it requires the skills of an occupational therapist and is designed to address specific needs of the patient and must be part of an active written plan of treatment directed at a specific goal.

3. The patient and/or caregiver must have the capacity to learn from instructions.

4. Typically, 3 to 4 sessions should be sufficient to teach the patient and/or caregiver these skills.

Physical Performance Test or Measurement

This testing may be reasonable and necessary for patients with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions when such tests are needed to formulate or evaluate a specific written plan of treatment or to determine a patient's functional capacity.

Assistive Technology Assessment

This assessment requires professional skill to gather data by observation and patient inquiry and may include limited objective testing and measurement to make clinical judgments regarding the patient’s condition(s). Assessment determines (e.g., changes in the patient’s status since the last visit and whether the planned procedure or service should be modified). Based on these assessment data, the professional may make judgment about progress toward goals and/or determine that a more complete evaluation or re-evaluation is indicated.

Summary of Evidence

N/A

Analysis of Evidence (Rationale for Determination)

N/A

Proposed Process Information

Synopsis of Changes
Changes Fields Changed
N/A
Associated Information
Sources of Information
Bibliography
Open Meetings
Meeting Date Meeting States Meeting Information
N/A
Contractor Advisory Committee (CAC) Meetings
Meeting Date Meeting States Meeting Information
N/A
MAC Meeting Information URLs
N/A
Proposed LCD Posting Date
Comment Period Start Date
Comment Period End Date
Reason for Proposed LCD
Requestor Information
This request was MAC initiated.
Requestor Name Requestor Letter
View Letter
N/A
Contact for Comments on Proposed LCD

Coding Information

Bill Type Codes

Code Description

Please accept the License to see the codes.

N/A

Revenue Codes

Code Description

Please accept the License to see the codes.

N/A

CPT/HCPCS Codes

Please accept the License to see the codes.

N/A

ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph:

N/A

Group 1 Codes:

N/A

N/A

ICD-10-CM Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph:

N/A

Group 1 Codes:

N/A

N/A

Additional ICD-10 Information

General Information

Associated Information

Documentation Requirements

1. Documentation supporting medical necessity should be legible, relevant and sufficient to justify the services billed. This documentation must be made available to the A/B MAC upon request.

2. The plan of treatment written by the patient’s physician after any needed consultation with the qualified occupational therapist and signed by the physician. This must be in the patient’s medical record and made available to the A/B MAC upon request.

3. When documenting family member/caregiver training and education, the documentation should include the person(s) being trained and the effectiveness of the training and education. The training and education should be an adjunct to the active therapy with the patient.

4. Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data should support the medical necessity of the services documented in the medical records. For therapy services, the OASIS should be filled out completely. An updated and completed OASIS for the billing period should be on file in the patient’s medical records and be made available to the A/B MAC upon request.

5. The HH clinical note must contain documentation elements as outlined in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7, §40.2.1 General Principles Governing Reasonable and Necessary Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, and Occupational Therapy.

6. Maintenance Program

  • In maintenance programs the documentation must reflect that skilled therapy is necessary to achieve the goals of the planned maintenance program.

7. Documentation must support coverage.

8. Under a restorative program the therapist should adjust the exercise program when needed to meet the beneficiary's needs in response to regular re-evaluation.

9OT services would be covered at a duration, frequency, and intensity such that the skills of a therapist are required to perform the services with that duration, frequency, and intensity. The patient's needs for therapy must be documented.

Plan of Treatment

Services are to be furnished according to a written plan of treatment determined by the physician after any needed consultations with the qualified licensed therapist and signed (including professional identity) and dated by the physician after an appropriate assessment (evaluation) of the condition (illness or injury) is completed. The plan of treatment must be completed before active therapy begins. The plan of treatment must be signed by the referring or attending physician prior to billing the service to Medicare. The written plan of treatment may not be altered by an occupational therapist. *Electronic signatures are acceptable if the proper documentation is submitted to the A/B MAC. However, stamped dates are not allowed.

1. The written POC must contain the following elements:

  • Diagnosis being treated and the specific problems identified that are to be addressed
  • Treatment techniques/modalities or procedures being used for specific problem to attain the stated goals
  • Specific functional goals for therapy in objective measurable terms (patient/caregiver maybe included or taken into consideration)
  • Frequency and duration of services
  • Rehabilitation potential - therapist/physician's expectation of the patient's ability to meet the goals at initiation of treatment (patient and, when appropriate, caregiver goals may be incorporated)

Treatment Note/Clinical/Progress Notes 

A treatment note should be written for each visit describing the services performed as well as the patient's progress, and any treatment variations from the POC with an explanation for them. Progress must be documented using specific and objective descriptions (e.g., ROM in degrees, distance that can be walked, validated scales of functional independence). Vague descriptions such as "doing well" or "continue treatment plan," will not be considered sufficient documentation of the treatment session to justify that the services rendered were reasonable and necessary. 

The treatment/clinical/progress notes should be written using objective measurements and functional accomplishments. Use statements which demonstrate the patient's response to the therapy such as:

  1. "Able to perform exercises as prescribed for 15 reps"
  2. "Able to safely transfer from bed to toilet with standby assistance"
  3. "Can now abduct shoulder 120 degrees"
  4. "Able to don a pull over shirt with minimal assistance"

Avoid terms such as:

  1. "Doing well"
  2. "Improving"
  3. "Less pain"
  4. "Increased ROM"
  5. "Increased strength"
  6. "Tolerated treatment well"
  7. "Continue with POC"

Evaluation/Re-evaluations

The physician and/or qualified licensed therapist's evaluation/re-evaluation assess the area for which OT treatment is being planned. It must be completed prior to beginning therapy. Evaluations must contain the following information:

1. Reason for referral

2. Diagnosis/condition being treated

3. Past level of function (be specific)

4. Evaluations must contain physical and cognitive baseline data necessary for assessing rehabilitation potential and measuring progress

5. Current level of function

6. Objective measurements such as strength, ROM, pain, ADL level, or edema

7. Treatment techniques/modalities selected for treating current illness or injury

8. Limitations which may influence the length of treatment

9. Short and/or long-term goals stated in objective measurable terms

10. Frequency and duration of therapy

11. Re-assessments must be performed at least every 30 days by a qualified licensed therapist. The 30-day clock begins with the first therapy’s visit/assessment/measurement/documentation (of the OT)

Certification/Re-certification

In order for HH patients to be eligible to receive services under the Medicare HH benefit the following must be documented for certification/re-certification:

1. The certifying physician must document that he or she had a face-to-face encounter with the patient.

2. Certifications and re-certifications by the physician, must be on file and available to the A/B MAC when the request for payment is forwarded.

3. The patient is under a physician care.

4. The referring/attending physician establishes or reviews the plan of treatment and makes the necessary certifications and he/she must sign and date all certifications/re-certifications. Certifications are required upon initiation of therapy and at least every 60 days thereafter for HH. If the requirements for certification are not met then claims for subsequent episodes of care, which require a recertification, will not be covered - even if the requirements for recertifications are met.

5. Skilled need services must be medically necessary and documentation of the skilled need should be in the patient's medical records.

6. Documentation should indicate the prognosis for potential restoration of function in a reasonable and generally predictable period of time, or the need to establish a safe and effective maintenance program.

7. Homebound status with documentation of confinement to home in medical records.

Utilization Guidelines

Whether the therapy is rehabilitative/restorative or maintenance should be indicated with reference to ADLs/IADLs and current ability.

Sources of Information
N/A
Bibliography

Applegate WB, Blass JP, Williams TF. Instruments for the functional assessment of older patients. New Engl J Med.1990;322(17):1207-1214.

Ben-Yishay Y, Diller L. Cognitive remediation in traumatic brain injury: Update and issues. Arch of Phys Med and Rehabil. 1993;74(2):204-213.

Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: Self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist. 1969;9(3):179-186.

Lawton MP. The functional assessment of elderly people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1971;19(6):465-481.

Mahler DA, Fierro-Carrion G, Baird JC. Evaluation of dyspnea in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 2003;19(1):19-33.

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with alzheimer’s disease and related neurocognitive disorders. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (2001)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with neurodegenerative diseases. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with rheumatoid arthritis. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with spinal cord injury. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with stroke. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for chronic pain. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for adults with traumatic brain injury. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

Occupational therapy practice guidelines for tendon injuries. The AOTA Practice Guidelines Series; AOTA. (1999)

The Institute of Medicine’s Committee on a National Agenda for Prevention of Disabilities. Executive Summary in Disability in America: Toward a national agenda for prevention. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1991.

Revision History Information

Revision History Date Revision History Number Revision History Explanation Reasons for Change
06/09/2022 R21

Under CMS National Coverage Policy updated section headings for regulations. Under Bibliography changes were made to citations to reflect AMA citation guidelines. Punctuation and typographical errors were corrected throughout the LCD.

  • Provider Education/Guidance
10/10/2019 R20

This LCD is being revised in order to adhere to CMS requirements per Chapter 13, Section 13.5.1 of the Program Integrity Manual, to remove all coding from LCDs. There has been no change in coverage with this LCD revision. Regulations regarding billing and coding were removed from the CMS National Coverage Policy section of this LCD and placed in the related Billing and Coding: Home Health Occupational Therapy A53057 article.

At this time 21st Century Cures Act will apply to new and revised LCDs that restrict coverage which requires comment and notice. This revision is not a restriction to the coverage determination; and, therefore not all the fields included on the LCD are applicable as noted in this policy.

  • Provider Education/Guidance
08/15/2019 R19

All coding located in the Coding Information section has been moved into the related Billing and Coding: Home Health Occupational Therapy A53057 article and removed from the LCD.

All verbiage regarding billing and coding under the Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity section has been removed and is included in the related Billing and Coding: Home Health Occupational Therapy A53057 article. Formatting, punctuation and typographical errors were corrected throughout the LCD.

At this time 21st Century Cures Act will apply to new and revised LCDs that restrict coverage which requires comment and notice. This revision is not a restriction to the coverage determination; and, therefore not all the fields included on the LCD are applicable as noted in this policy.

  • Provider Education/Guidance
04/22/2019 R18

Under CMS National Coverage Policy removed regulation 42 CFR §484.18 Conditions of Participation: Acceptance of patients, plan of care, and medical supervision. Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity removed the first paragraph regarding quoted Internet Only Manual (IOM) text and removed quoted IOM text from the third paragraph. Removed quoted IOM text from #2. and changed verbiage to read “Coverage of skilled rehabilitation services is contingent upon the beneficiary's need for skilled care whether the goal of therapy includes maintenance or improvement”. Removed quoted IOM text from #3. and changed verbiage to read “The pressing need for a service, or the lack of availability of unskilled personnel to render the service with the necessary frequency does not itself make a service skilled. However, some services that would not normally be considered skilled therapy may require the skilled services of a therapy professional because of a special complicating medical factor. This must be clearly evident in the medical record”. Under subheading Maintenance Therapy removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “Coverage of skilled rehabilitation services is contingent upon a beneficiary's need for skilled care. When a program to maintain or reduce decline in functional status requires the skills of a licensed therapist to be performed safely and effectively, provision of skilled services for the execution of that therapy program is covered. The skilled need must come from the nature of the service being rendered and the patient's unique circumstance. The provision of therapy services by skilled therapy personnel does not itself make the service one that requires skilled care”. Under subheading Standardized Cognitive Performance Testing removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “This testing includes neuropsychological testing…”. Under subheading OT Evaluation and OT Re-evaluation #1. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “The initial examination must have components as described in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7, §40.2.1” and under #2. removed quoted IOM text. Under subheading Maintenance Program removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “A maintenance program is a program designed to maintain or to slow deterioration as described in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub.100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, §220. A maintenance program must meet the criteria of CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub.100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, §220.2 to be considered reasonable and necessary”. Under subheading Self-Care/Home Management Training removed quoted IOM text. Under Associated Information: Documentation Requirements #5. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “The HH clinical note must contain documentation elements as outlined in CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7, §40.2.1”. Under #6. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “In maintenance programs the documentation must reflect that skilled therapy is necessary to achieve the goals of the planned maintenance program”. Under #7. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “Documentation must support coverage”. Under #8. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “Under a restorative program the therapist should adjust the exercise program when needed to meet the beneficiary’s needs in response to regular re-evaluation”. Under #9. removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “OT services would be covered at a duration, frequency, and intensity such that the skills of a therapist are required to perform the services with that duration, frequency, and intensity. The patient's needs for therapy must be documented”. Under subheading Plan of Treatment #1. changed verbiage in the fourth bullet point to read “Frequency and duration of services”. Under subheading Treatment Note/Clinical/Progress Notes removed quoted IOM text and changed verbiage to read “A treatment note should be written for each visit describing the services performed as well as the patient's progress, and any treatment variations from the POC with an explanation for them. Progress must be documented using specific and objective descriptions (e.g., ROM in degrees, distance that can be walked, validated scales of functional independence). Vague descriptions such as “doing well” or “continue treatment plan,” will not be considered sufficient documentation of the treatment session to justify that the services rendered were reasonable and necessary”. Under subheading Certification/Re-certification removed quoted IOM text. Under Bibliography changes were made to citations to reflect AMA citation guidelines. Formatting, punctuation and typographical errors were corrected throughout the LCD. Acronyms were inserted and defined where appropriate throughout the LCD. CPT® was inserted throughout the LCD where applicable.

  • Provider Education/Guidance
10/01/2018 R17

Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity added ICD-10 codes G62.0, G62.1, G62.2, G62.81, G72.0, G72.1, G72.2 and G72.81 due to review of the LCD.

Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity deleted ICD-10 codes G71.0, M79.1 and T81.4XXS and added G71.00, G71.01, G71.02, G71.09, I63.81, I63.89, I67.850, I67.858, K61.31, K61.39, K61.5, K82.A1, K82.A2, T81.40XA, T81.40XD, T81.40XS, T81.41XA, T81.41XD, T81.41XS, T81.42XA, T81.42XD, T81.42XS, T81.43XA, T81.43XD, T81.43XS, T81.44XA, T81.44XD, T81.44XS, T81.49XA, T81.49XD and T81.49XS. The code description was revised for ICD-10 codes L98.495, L98.496, L98.498, S62.626S, S62.627S, S62.654S, S62.655S, S62.656S and S62.657S. This revision is due to the Annual ICD-10 Code Update.

These revisions become effective October 1, 2018.

  • Revisions Due To ICD-10-CM Code Changes
08/16/2018 R16

Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity the verbiage “NCDs and coverage provisions in interpretive manuals are not subject to the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Review Process (42 CFR 405.860 (b) and 42 CFR 426 (Subpart D)). In addition, an administrative law judge may not review a NCD. See section 1869 (f)(1)(A)(l) of the Social Security Act” was removed. Under Bibliography changes were made to reflect AMA citation guidelines.  Acronyms were defined, punctuation and grammar were corrected and the verbiage quoted from CMS IOM manuals was italicized as appropriate throughout the policy.

 At this time 21st Century Cures Act will apply to new and revised LCDs that restrict coverage which requires comment and notice. This revision is not a restriction to the coverage determination; and, therefore not all the fields included on the LCD are applicable as noted in this policy.

 

  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Public Education/Guidance
01/01/2018 R15

Under CMS National Coverage Policy added CMS Manual System, Pub 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Change Request 10308, Transmittal 3877, dated October 6, 2017. Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity – Cognitive Skills Development deleted CPT code 97532 and replaced with CPT code G0515 and under Orthotic/Prosthetic Checkout deleted CPT code 97762 and replaced with CPT code 97763. Under CPT/HCPCS Codes Group 1 descriptions were revised for CPT codes 97760 and 97761. This revision is due to the Annual CPT/HCPCS Code Update.

At this time 21st Century Cures Act will apply to new and revised LCDs that restrict coverage which requires comment and notice. This revision is not a restriction to the coverage determination; and, therefore not all the fields included on the LCD are applicable as noted in this policy.

 

  • Revisions Due To CPT/HCPCS Code Changes
10/01/2017 R14

Under CMS National Coverage Policy revised the titles for Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1814(a)(2)(C) and 42 CFR §484.18. Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity verbiage for quoted language was italicized or unitalicized dependent on current NCD and CMS manual verbiage and punctuation was corrected as necessary. Under Maintenance Therapy defined the acronym in the first sentence. Under Fabrication/Application of Casts, Splints and Strapping the CPT code range was separated. In the Note the CPT code was corrected to read 97760. Under Application of long leg cast corrected the CPT code to read 29365. Under Biofeedback Training by any Modality and Biofeedback Training, Perineal Muscles, anorectal or urethral sphincter, including EMG and/or manometry corrected the manual section cited to read 30.1.1. The following title was corrected to now read: Treatment of swallowing dysfunction and/or oral function for feeding. Under Muscle testing, manual (separate procedure) with report; total evaluation of body, excluding hands added “…or including hands.” Under Maintenance Program deleted #5 as the paragraph was redundant. Under Infrared Therapy corrected the NCD section cited to read 270.6. Under Electrical Stimulation Therapy added “Transcutaneous” to the third and fourth paragraph. Under Cognitive Skills Development revised the verbiage in statements #1 and #3. Under Associated Information- Documentation Requirements verbiage for quoted language was italicized or unitalicized dependent on current NCD and CMS manual verbiage and verbiage was deleted in statements #1, #2, #5, the second bullet of #6 and #9. Under Bibliography the volume number, issue number and page number was corrected for Lawton MP. The functional assessment of elderly people. J Am Geriatrics Soc. 1971;19(6):465-481. The following title was corrected: Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Neurocognitive Disorders.

  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Typographical Error
  • Other
10/01/2017 R13

Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity Group 1: Codes deleted ICD-10 codes H54.0, H54.2, S63.131S, S63.132S, S63.134S, S63.135S, S63.141S, S63.142S, S63.144S and S63.145S. Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity Group 1: Codes added ICD-10 codes F50.82, G12.23, G12.24, G12.25, H54.0X33, H54.0X34, H54.0X35, H54.0X43, H54.0X44, H54.0X45, H54.0X53, H54.0X54, H54.0X55, H54.1131, H54.1132, H54.1141, H54.1142, H54.1151, H54.1152, H54.1213, H54.1214, H54.1215, H54.1223, H54.1224, H54.1225, H54.2X11, H54.2X12, H54.2X21, H54.2X22, H54.413A, H54.414A, H54.415A, H54.42A3, H54.42A4, H54.42A5, H54.511A, H54.512A, H54.52A1, H54.52A2, L97.115, L97.116, L97.118, L97.125, L97.126, L97.128, L97.215, L97.216, L97.218, L97.225, L97.226, L97.228, L97.315, L97.316, L97.318, L97.325, L97.326, L97.328, L97.415, L97.416, L97.418, L97.425, L97.426, L97.428, L97.515, L97.516, L97.518, L97.525, L97.526, L97.528, L97.815, L97.816, L97.818, L97.825, L97.826, L97.828, L97.915, L97.916, L97.918, L97.925, L97.926, L97.928, L98.415, L98.416, L98.418, L98.425, L98.426, L98.428, L98.495, L98.496, L98.498, M48.061 and M48.062. Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity Group 1: Codes code description changes were made to ICD-10 codes S04.031S, S04.032S, S04.041S, S04.042S, S62.311S, S62.317S, S62.341S, S62.347S, S62.620S, S62.621S, S62.622S, S62.623S, S62.624S, S62.625S, S62.650S, S62.651S, S62.652S, S62.653S, S92.521S, S92.522S, S92.524S and S92.525S. This revision is due to the 2017 Annual ICD-10 Code Updates. 

At this time 21st Century Cures Act will apply to new and revised LCDs that restrict coverage which requires comment and notice. This revision is not a restriction to the coverage determination; and, therefore not all the fields included on the LCD are applicable as noted in this policy.

 

  • Revisions Due To ICD-10-CM Code Changes
01/01/2017 R12 Under CMS National Coverage Policy added Change Request 9771, Transmittal 3618. Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity revised the short description “Occupational Therapy Evaluation (CPT code 97003) and Occupational Therapy Re-evaluation (CPT code 97004)” to now read “Occupational Therapy Evaluation (CPT codes 97165, 97166 and 97167) and Occupational Therapy Re-evaluation (CPT code 97168)”. Under CPT/HCPCS Codes Group 1 deleted CPT Codes 97003 and 97004 and added CPT Codes 97165, 97166, 97167 and 97168. This revision is due to the 2017 Annual CPT/HCPCS Update and becomes effective 01/01/17.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Revisions Due To CPT/HCPCS Code Changes
  • Other (Change Request 9771, Transmittal 3618)
10/13/2016 R11 Under CMS National Coverage Policy added the word “Services” to the 42 CFR §424.22 title. Change Request 9189, Transmittal 603 was deleted as this was manualized and is now found in the following manual citation: CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub 100-08, Medicare Integrity Program Manual, Chapter 6, §§6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.1.1, 6.2.2, 6.2.2.1, 6.2.3, 6.2.4, 6.2.5, 6.2.6 and 6.2.7. Under Associated Information –Evaluation/Reevaluations item 9, deleted the verbiage “and their expected date of accomplishment” and revised this statement to read “Short and/or long term goals stated in objective measurable terms”. Under Sources of Information and Basis for Decision added author’s names and initials and issue numbers to cited references.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
10/01/2016 R10 Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity added ICD-10 codes G56.03, G56.13, G56.23, G56.33, G56.43, G56.83, G56.93, G57.03, G57.13, G57.23, G57.33, G57.43, G57.53, G57.63, G57.73, G57.83, G57.93, G61.82, I69.010, I69.011, I69.012, I69.013, I69.014, I69.015, I69.018, I69.019, I69.110, I69.111, I69.112, I69.113, I69.114, I69.115, I69.118, I69.119, I69.210, I69.211, I69.212, I69.213, I69.214, I69.215, I69.218, I69.219, I69.310, I69.311, I69.312, I69.313, I69.314, I69.315, I69.318, I69.319, I69.810, I69.811, I69.812, I69.813, I69.814, I69.815, I69.818, I69.910, I69.911, I69.912, I69.913, I69.914, I69.915, I69.918, M25.541, M25.542, M50.020, M50.021, M50.022, M50.023, M50.121, M50.122, M50.123, M84.750S, M84.751S, M84.752S, M84.754S, M84.755S, M84.757S, M84.758S, M97.01XS, M97.02XS, M97.11XS, M97.12XS, M97.21XS, M97.22XS, M97.31XS, M97.32XS, M97.41XS, M97.42XS, S03.01XS, S03.02XS, S03.03XS, S92.811S, S92.812S, S99.001S, S99.002S, S99.011S, S99.012S, S99.021S, S99.022S, S99.031S, S99.032S, S99.041S, S99.042S, S99.091S, S99.092S, S99.101S, S99.102S, S99.111S, S99.112S, S99.121S, S99.122S, S99.131S, S99.132S, S99.141S, S99.142S, S99.191S, S99.192S, S99.201S, S99.202S, S99.211S, S99.212S, S99.221S, S99.222S, S99.231S, S99.232S, S99.241S, S99.242S, S99.291S, S99.292S, T82.855S and T82.856S, deleted ICD-10 codes F50.8, I69.01, I69.11, I69.21, I69.31, I69.81, I69.91, M26.60, M26.61, M26.62, M26.63, M50.02, M50.12, M50.22, M50.32, M50.82, M50.92, S02.10XS, S02.3XXS, S02.61XS, S02.62XS, S02.63XS, S02.64XS, S02.65XS, S02.67XS, S02.8XXS, S03.0XXS, S03.4XXS, S06.0X2S, S06.0X3S, S06.0X4S, S06.0X5S, T83.51XS, T83.59XS, T83.6XXS, T84.040S, T84.041S, T84.042S, T84.043S, T84.048S, T85.81XS, T85.82XS, T85.83XS, T85.84XS, T85.85XS, T85.86XS and T85.89XS and revised the code description for ICD-10 codes S02.110S, S02.111S, S02.112S, S02.118S, S02.400S, S02.401S, S02.402S, S02.600S, S49.031S, S49.032S, S49.131S, S49.132S, S54.8X1S, S54.8X2S, T82.817S, T82.818S, T82.827S, T82.828S, T82.837S, T82.838S, T82.847S, T82.848S, T82.857S, T82.858S, T82.867S, T82.868S, T83.711S, T83.718S, T83.721S, T83.728S, T83.81XS, T83.82XS, T83.83XS, T83.84XS, T83.85XS, T83.86XS, T85.110S, T85.111S, T85.112S, T85.120S, T85.121S, T85.122S, T85.190S, T85.191S, T85.192S, T85.610S, T85.620S, T85.630S and T85.690S. This revision is due to the Annual ICD-10 Code Update and becomes effective 10/01/16.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Revisions Due To ICD-10-CM Code Changes
08/04/2016 R9 Under ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity added G80.9.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Creation of Uniform LCDs Within a MAC Jurisdiction
06/23/2016 R8 Throughout the entire LCD added “Manual” and “CMS Internet-Only Manual” to multiple citations. Under Associated Information-Documentation Requirements-Evaluation/Reevaluations 9. revised the statement to now read, “Short and/or long term goals stated in objective measurable terms, and their expected date of accomplishment.” This revision recognizes that while best practices support the communication of both short and long term goals for rehabilitation services, either may support the reasonable and necessary home health services described in this LCD.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Other
01/28/2016 R7 Under ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity added coverage for M54.16.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Public Education/Guidance
  • Other (Internal Request as the code was inadvertently omitted from the policy. )
12/31/2015 R6 Under CPT/HCPCS Codes added G0158 and G0160 for educational guidance for OT Assistant and OT Maintenance.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Public Education/Guidance
10/22/2015 R5 Under CMS National Coverage Policy added 42 CFR §409.32- Criteria for skilled services and the need for skilled services; removed Federal register, Volume 79, Number 215; Pub 100-03 Chapter 1 Part 4 Section 280.13 was removed as it is no longer manualized and has been incorporated into NCD 160.27; removed Pub 100-08 Chapter 6 section 6.2-6.7 as this information relates to the MAC medical review responsibilities. Added reference to Pub 100-02 Chapter 7 Section 20.1.2.

Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity removed the section “Skilled Maintenance Therapy for Safety” as it was duplicative information; under Electrical Stimulation Therapy removed the section “effective for claims with dates of service…” and referred providers to Pub 100-03, Chapter 1, Part 2 Section 160.27 for coverage of TENS for Chronic Low Back Pain; Under Rehabilitation services for vision impairment: added verbiage "Medicare beneficiaries who are blind or visually impaired are eligible for physician prescribed rehabilitation services on the same basis as beneficiaries with other medical conditions"; and made a few grammatical and punctuation corrections.

Under Associated Information corrected #4 to provide guidance that OASIS data must be complete and made available to the A/B MAC upon request.

Under Sources of Information and Basis for Decision corrected the spelling of “cognitive” in the reference to Diller, Yishay.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Public Education/Guidance
  • Typographical Error
  • Other (Annual Validation)
10/01/2015 R4 Under CMS National Coverage Policy added the following: 42 CFR §424.22-Requirements for Home Health, 42 CFR §409.42-Beneficiary qualifications for coverage of services, 42 CFR §409.43 Plan of care requirements, Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1835 (a)(2)(A) Procedure for payment of claims of providers of services, Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1814 (a)(2)(C) Requirements of requests and certifications and CMS Internet-Only Manual, Pub 100-08, Medicare Program Integrity Manual, Transmittal 603, dated July 21, 2015, Change Request 9189 and Federal Register, Volume 79, Number 215, Rules and regulation, pages 66101-66103 dated 11/6/14.
Under Associated Information-Documentation Requirements added the requirements for certification/recertification. Removed duplicate section “Evaluation/Reevaluations-The physician and/or qualified licensed therapist's evaluation/re-evaluation assesses the area for which occupational therapy treatment is being planned. It must be completed prior to beginning therapy. Evaluations must contain the following information: #’s 1-11”, and in Utilization guidelines, re-worded the sentence to read whether the plan is rehabilitative/restorative or maintenance should be indicated with reference to ADL’s/IADLs and current ability.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Other (Change Request 9189, Transmittal 603)
10/01/2015 R3 A description change was made to Bill Type codes per the NUBC Quarterly update in May 2015.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Public Education/Guidance
10/01/2015 R2 Under CMS National coverage Policy,, corrected citation Pub 100-02 Chapter 8 section 40.4.1.2E to read 40.1; added section 280.13 to Pub 100-03 Chapter 1 citation; removed transmittal AB-02-078 CR#2083 as this information has been added to policy.
Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity, in the second paragraph changed the first “occupational” to read physical as Occupational Therapy was already listed; in the third paragraph added “licensed” to qualified therapist; removed “the coverage criteria and definition of rehabilitative services for vision impairment (Low Vision) are found in the transmittal AB-02-078, dated May 29, 2002, Change Request 2083; and made some grammatical and punctuation corrections.
Under Associated information, changed the wording of #2 to read “The plan of treatment written by the patient’s physician (after any needed consultation with the qualified occupational therapist) will be signed by the physician. “ Under #5, added the purpose of the skilled service provided. Under ,b>Evaluation/Reevaluations, “qualified licensed” in the paragraph and on #11. Under Plan of Treatment, added “qualified licensed” and removed occupational.
Under Sources of Information, Corrected all sources to be AMA compliant and added Diller L, Yishay Y. Cognative Remediation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Update and issues. Arch of Physic Med and Rehab.1993;74(Feb):204-213 and Mahler D, Fierro-Carrion G. Evaluation of Dyspnea in the Elderly. Clin in Geriatric Med.2003;19(1):19-33.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Other (Annual Validation)
10/01/2015 R1 Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity-Group 1 ICD-10 Codes effective 06/29/2014, ICD-10 code description verbiage was revised due to the 2014 & 2015 Annual ICD-10 Code Update for the following: M08.88, M12.08, M12.58, M12.88, M25.18, M50.01, M50.11, M50.21, M50.31, M50.81, M50.91, M84.58XS. Under ICD-10 Codes That Support Medical Necessity-Group 1 ICD-10 effective 06/29/2014, ICD-10 code deletions were applied due to the 2014 & 2015 Annual ICD-10 Code Update for the following: M47.17, M47.18, M51.07.Under Coverage Indications, Limitations and/or Medical Necessity Added reference to Pub 100-03 Chapter 1, Part 2, §160.27 to Electrical Stimulation Therapy.
  • Provider Education/Guidance
  • Revisions Due To ICD-10-CM Code Changes
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Keywords

  • Home Health Occupational Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Home Health
  • OT

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