Current through Register No. 40, October 3, 2024
(b) The following items shall be covered when
prescribed and supported by an LMN:
(1) The
purchase of, or repairs to, prosthetic devices, including prosthetic fingers,
thumbs, and toes when they are part of a covered prostheses except as
prohibited in He-W 571.06(v)
;
(2) The purchase of, or repairs to, orthotic
devices;
(3) The purchase of the
following medical supplies:
a. Specialty
formulas prescribed for life-sustaining purposes;
b. Specialty formulas and food products
prescribed for metabolic diseases described in
RSA
415:6-c;
c. Enteral formulas and supplies when oral
feeds are contraindicated; and
d.
Disposable incontinence products for recipients between 3 and 20 years of
age;
(4) The purchase of
one standard manual breast pump per pregnancy;
(5) Bed cradle when necessary to prevent
contact with the bed covering for conditions such as burns, decubitis, diabetic
ulcers, and gout; and
(6) Except as
specified in (c) (5) below, repairs to a purchased, non-rental, wheelchair when
such repairs do not exceed a total of $800 within a given state fiscal year,
which begins July 1st and ends June 30th.
(c) Unless a requested item is considered
non-covered as specified in
He-W
571.06, all items that are not otherwise indicated as
covered in (a) -(b) above, shall be covered when prescribed, supported by an
LMN, and prior authorized in accordance with
He-W
571.05, and as follows:
(1) Infant home apnea monitors shall be
covered when at least one of the following criteria is met:
a. Within the past 30 days from the date the
completed PA request is submitted to the department, the infant has experienced
an ALTE; and
b. The infant has one
or more of the following conditions:
1.
Tracheostomy or anatomic abnormalities of the face, tongue, jaw, or airway that
make the infant vulnerable to airway compromise;
2. Neurologic or metabolic disorders
affecting respiratory control;
3.
Chronic lung disease, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which requires
supplemental oxygen (O2), continuous positive airway
pressure, or mechanical ventilation;
4. Apnea of prematurity;
5. Bradycardia on caffeine, theophylline, or
similar agents;
6. Diagnosis of
pertussis, with positive laboratory results;
7. Diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD) that results in apnea of at least 20 seconds, bradycardia, or
O2 saturation; or
8. Discharged home on a schedule of weaning
narcotics;
(2) A PA approved for an infant home apnea
monitor shall be issued as follows:
a. The
initial approval shall be valid for 3 months;
b. PA requests for additional coverage beyond
the initial 3-month period shall be granted until the infant is ALTE-free for 2
months or until the child reaches 12 months of age, whichever comes first;
and
c. PA requests for coverage
after the infant reaches 12 months of age shall be granted when supported by
physician documentation recommending the continuation of monitoring based on
the child's condition;
(3) An external insulin pump for the
treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes (Type 1) shall be limited to one pump
per recipient every 4 years or more frequently if technology evolves so that
the pump can no longer be used, and shall be approved when the following
criteria are met:
a. The recipient has
received 3 or more daily insulin injections for at least 6 consecutive
months;
b. The recipient has
self-monitored his or her own blood sugar at least 4 times per day for the past
2 consecutive months;
c. The
recipient and the recipient's family demonstrate to the recipient's physician
or to the recipient's diabetic educator the ability to carbohydrate count using
insulin-to-carbohydrate ratios as well as insulin correction factors;
d. The recipient has a documented history of
recurrent hypoglycemia with wide fluctuations in blood glucose, despite
recipient compliance;
e. The
recipient has dawn phenomenon with fasting sugars frequently exceeding 200
mg/dl;
f. The recipient has a
history of severe glycemic excursions; and
g. An endocrinologist, or a physician with
similar skills and training as an endocrinologist in the management of external
insulin pumps, prescribes the pump and is involved with the medical care of the
recipient;
(4) The
purchase of a wig shall be covered with approval being subject to
RSA
415:18-d;
(5) The purchase of any wheelchair or
wheelchair accessory, as well as all repairs and modifications made to
purchased wheelchairs that exceed the $800 limit set forth in (b) (6) above,
shall be covered when the following criteria are met:
a. The need for a wheelchair, accessory,
repair, or modification has been evaluated by a physical therapist (PT) or
occupational therapist (OT), in consultation with the ordering
physician;
b. The recipient has a
condition for which there is a disease process, injury, or disability:
1. That would contraindicate weight bearing
or ambulation; and
2. Where there
is a decrease in neuromuscular function that prevents the recipient from being
able to ambulate without assistance;
c. When the PA request is for a power
wheelchair, the recipient:
1. Is unable to
propel a manual wheelchair because of a disease process, injury, or disability;
and
2. Is able to safely and
independently operate a power wheelchair;
d. The wheelchair is not solely for the
convenience of the recipient, or the recipient's family or
caregivers;
e. The recipient does
not already have another mobility device that meets the recipient's mobility
needs; and
f. When the PA request
is to replace an existing wheelchair, the following criteria are met:
1. It is not possible to repair or modify the
existing wheelchair or replacement of the existing wheelchair is found to be
the least costly alternative;
2.
The current wheelchair no longer meets the recipient's mobility needs;
and
3. The request is not being
made solely as a result of changing technology, age of the current wheelchair,
or a desire for a new wheelchair;
(6) Customized strollers shall be covered
only for recipients who:
a. Are
non-ambulatory;
b. Meet the
criteria for wheelchair approval as set forth in (5) above;
c. Do not already have a wheelchair or
customized stroller, and are not expected to be prescribed a wheelchair within
24 months; and
d. Have mobility
needs that will not be met by a commercially available stroller with
adaptations;
(7) Gait
trainers shall be covered only for recipients who:
a. Are able to stand upright with assistance
and have some lower-extremity and trunk strength to be supported in the gait
trainer;
b. Are not able to
ambulate independently due to a condition such as, but not limited to,
neuromuscular or congenital disorders, including acquired skeletal
abnormalities;
c. Do not have
lower-extremity contractures that would preclude ambulation, and have adequate
range of motion to support mobility;
d. Have alignment of the lower extremities
such that the foot and ankle can tolerate a standing or upright position as
well as reciprocal movement;
e. Do
not have complete paralysis of the lower extremities;
f. Have demonstrated improved mobility,
ambulation, function, or physiologic symptoms, or have maintained status with
the use of the selected gait trainer, and are able to follow a home therapy
program incorporating the use of the gait trainer, as documented by a clinical
program or home trial with the requested gait trainer; and
g. Have a written home therapy plan outlining
the use of the requested gait trainer and for whom there is a caretaker who can
appropriately supervise use of the gait trainer;
(8) Standers shall be covered only for
recipients who:
a. Do not already have a
stander or gait trainer;
b. Are
unable to stand or ambulate independently due to a condition such as, but not
limited to, a neuromuscular or congenital disorder, including acquired skeletal
abnormalities;
c. Are at high risk
for lower extremity contractures that cannot be appropriately managed by other
treatment modalities, such as stretching, active therapy, and home
programs;
d. Have an alignment of
the lower extremities such that they can tolerate a standing or upright
position;
e. Do not have complete
paralysis of the lower extremities;
f. Do not have orthostatic hypotension,
postural tachycardia syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, osteoporosis or other
brittle bone diseases, or hip and knee flexion contractures of more than
20°;
g. Have demonstrated
improved mobility, function, and physiologic symptoms, or have maintained
status with the use of the requested stander, when other alternatives have
failed, and are able to follow a home standing program incorporating the use of
the stander, as documented by clinical standing program or home trial with the
requested stander;
h. Are unable to
stand or ambulate with caregiver assistance or an ambulatory assistive device
at sufficient duration or distance to achieve a medical benefit;
i. Have a home therapy plan outlining the use
of the requested stander; and
j.
Have a request for a stander using code E0642, and are able to self-propel the
stander;
(9) Cranial
remolding helmets shall be covered when the following criteria are met:
a. The recipient is at least 3 months of age,
but not older than 18 months of age;
b. The recipient has marked asymmetry that
has not been substantially improved following conservative therapy of at least
2 months duration with cranial repositioning therapy and/or physical therapy;
and
c. The asymmetry of the cranial
base is documented by one of the following:
1. Skull base asymmetry of at least 6 mm
right or left discrepancy, measured subnasally to the tragus, which is the
cartilaginous projection of the auricle at the front of the ear; or
2. Cranial vault asymmetry of at least 10 mm
right or left discrepancy, measured obliquely from the supraorbital point to
the parietooccipital scalp at the midpoint of maximal convexity and from the
supraorbital point to the parietooccipital scalp at the midpoint of the
flattened area, or a ratio of these 2 measurements is greater than
1:1;
(10) A
continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine to treat obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA) in recipients up to the age of 21 shall be covered when all of the
following criteria are met:
a.
Adenotonsillectomy is contraindicated, delayed, or unsuccessful in relieving
symptoms of OSA;
b. There is an OSA
diagnosis established by polysomnography (PSG) performed by a medicare
certified sleep study center, or a children's hospital; and
c. The recipient is 7 years of age or older
and weighs 40 pounds or more;
(11) A CPAP machine to treat OSA in a
recipient 21 years of age or older shall be covered when all of the following
criteria are met:
a. The recipient has a
diagnosis of OSA established by PSG performed by a medicare certified sleep
study center; and
b. At least one
of the following clinical criteria has been met:
1. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which
assesses the severity of sleep apnea, is moderate to severe, which is defined
as 15 or more events per hour; or
2. The AHI is from 5 to 14 events per hour
with documentation of symptoms of daytime sleepiness, impaired cognition, mood
disorders, or insomnia that impairs the recipient's ability to carry out
activities of daily living, and one of the following conditions is met:
(i) A diagnosis of hypertension, ischemic
heart disease, or a history of stroke; or
(ii) More than 20 episodes of
O2 desaturation, measuring less than 85%, or any one
episode of O2 desaturation, measuring less than 70%,
during a full-night sleep study;
(12) A CPAP machine covered in accordance
with (10) or (11) above shall be prior authorized as follows:
a. The initial authorization shall be limited
to a 2-month trial rental of the CPAP machine to ensure the recipient uses the
machine daily and will receive a sufficient benefit from use of the
machine;
b. The recipient's daily
use shall be documented by a compliance report indicating that the recipient is
gaining sufficient benefit from the CPAP machine, as evidenced by a downloaded
recording from the machine showing usage of a daily minimum of 4 hours per
night;
c. Following the 2-month
trial period, if the recipient demonstrates daily use as described in b. above
during the 2-month trial rental period, the requesting dispensing provider may
submit a subsequent PA request, which shall include the documentation described
in b. above, for the purchase of the CPAP machine;
d. If the recipient does not use the machine
as required in b. above during the trial period, but the non-compliance is
correctable, such as by adjusting the fit of the mask, the requesting
dispensing provider may submit a subsequent PA request for an additional rental
period; and
e. Following the trial
rental period, if it is demonstrated that the CPAP machine is not providing a
sufficient benefit to the recipient, and the failure is not due to
non-compliance, abuse, or neglect, the requesting dispensing provider may
submit a PA request for a bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP)
machine;
(13) The
department shall approve a request for a BiPAP machine when it has been
determined, in accordance with (12) above, that a CPAP machine is not effective
in treating the recipient's OSA;
(14) A BiPAP machine shall be covered as
follows:
a. The initial authorization shall
be limited to a 2-month trial rental of the BiPAP machine to ensure the
recipient uses the machine daily and will receive a sufficient benefit from use
of the machine;
b. The recipient's
daily use shall be documented by a compliance report indicating that the
recipient is gaining sufficient benefit from the BiPAP machine, as evidenced by
a downloaded recording from the machine showing usage of a daily minimum of 4
hours per night; and
c. Following
the 2-month trial period, if the recipient demonstrates daily use during the
trial rental period as required in b. above, the requesting item provider may
submit a subsequent PA request, which shall include the documentation described
in b. above, for the purchase of the BiPAP machine;
(15) High-frequency chest compression (HFCC)
devices shall be covered when the following criteria are met:
a. The recipient is at least 2 years of age
at the time the device is being used;
b. The recipient has a documented need of
airway clearance;
c. The recipient
has one of the following documented diagnoses:
1. Cystic fibrosis;
2. Chronic bronchiectasis that:
(i) Is characterized by a daily productive
cough that has been confirmed by high resolution, spiral, or a standard CT
scan;
(ii) Lasts for at least 6
consecutive months; or
(iii)
Results in exacerbation, at least 2 times in a one year period, that requires
antibiotic therapy; or
3. Chronic neuromuscular disorder affecting
the ability to cough or clear respiratory secretions with a prior history of
pneumonia or other significant worsening of pulmonary function, which exists
when at least 2 of the following criteria are met:
(i) Forced expiration capacity (FEC) of 80%
predicted;
(ii) Forced vital
capacity (FVC) of less than 50% predicted;
(iii) Small airway score (FEP 25-75%)
decrease in one year of 25% or more;
(iv) Pattern of annual or more
hospitalizations for acute pulmonary exacerbations; or
(v) Demonstration of reduction of pulmonary
function while on steroids for a year;
d. The recipient's physician provides
documentation demonstrating that standard treatments have failed to adequately
mobilize retained secretions, as indicated by one of the following:
1. Other airway clearance therapies,
including chest physical therapy or the use of a flutter device, cannot be
performed at least twice daily, or as would be appropriate for the recipient's
age, because:
(i) There are no available
parental or partner resources to perform chest physical therapy;
(ii) The caregiver is physically or mentally
incapable of performing chest physical therapy at the required frequency;
or
(iii) There are 2 or more
individuals with cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchiectasis, or chronic
neuromuscular disorder in the same household; or
2. There is a significant deterioration of
the recipient's clinical conditions, as described in c.3. above; and
e. The recipient is under the care
of a pulmonologist;
(16)
A HFCC device covered in accordance with (15) above shall be prior authorized
as follows:
a. The initial authorization
shall be limited to a 2-month trial rental of the HFCC device to ensure the
recipient uses the device daily and will receive a sufficient benefit from use
of the device;
b. The recipient's
daily use and sufficient benefit from usage during the 2-month trial rental
period shall be documented by:
1. A report
completed by a pulmonologist documenting the recipient's comfort, tolerance,
and willingness to use the device;
2. A report completed by a pulmonologist
demonstrating that the recipient has sufficiently benefited from the use of the
HFCC device as evidenced by clinical indications, including:
(i) Improvement in forced expiratory volume
(FEV1); or
(ii) A reduction in the
number of hospitalizations per year;
3. A statement signed by the pulmonologist,
which may be part of the report in 2. above, stating that the recipient has
sufficiently benefited from the use of the HFCC device, and that the
pulmonologist recommends continued usage of the HFCC device; and
4. A usage meter report generated by the
dispensing provider documenting usage at least 67% of the prescribed
time;
c. Following the
2-month trial rental period specified in a. above, the requesting dispensing
provider may submit a prior authorization request for an additional rental
period, not to exceed one year, by submitting a prior authorization request
along with documentation demonstrating the recipient's use as described in b.
above;
d. A request for an
additional rental period or to purchase the device through a rent-to-own
arrangement, submitted in accordance with c. above, shall be approved by the
department when the clinical evidence of the recipient's use and sufficient
benefit supports continued use of the HFCC device; and
e. Approvals shall be limited to only one
HFCC device and one vest per size per family;
(17) Oximeters shall be covered when the
recipient has been assessed by his or her physician or pulmonary specialist to
determine if supplemental O2 is required, and either:
a. The recipient has been on supplemental
O2 and an oximeter is requested to determine if he or
she can be weaned from the supplemental O2; or
b. The recipient is receiving supplemental
O2 and is experiencing widely fluctuating
O2 saturation levels and an oximeter is required to
assist in determining the cause, frequency, and duration of the fluctuation to
properly determine the O2 flow rate;
(18) Disposable incontinence
supplies, including chux underpads, incontinence briefs, pull-ups, diapers,
pads or liners, and gloves and toileting wipes used for this condition, for
recipients 21 years of age or older shall be covered in accordance with the
following:
a. The PA shall be approved for a
period of one year if the recipient's type of incontinence is:
1. Secondary to a disease process or injury
to the bladder, which results in irreversible loss of control of the urinary
bladder and/or rectal sphincter;
2.
Secondary to an injury to the brain or spinal cord;
3. Secondary to a disease or condition that
causes incontinence; or
4.
Attributed to a profound cognitive disability or progressive neurological
disorder, such as severe intellectual disability, dementia, or tardive
dyskinesia, that results in an inability to achieve continence through bladder
training;
b. The PA
shall be approved for a period of 6-months if the recipient's type of
incontinence is:
1. Secondary to a surgical
procedure, such as prostatectomy, resulting in temporary urinary incontinence;
or
2. Secondary to an injury to the
bladder and/or urinary sphincter, including nerve injury and detrusor muscle
instability, resulting in temporary urinary incontinence; and
c. The following quantity limits
shall apply, unless the prior authorization request specifies and medically
justifies a greater quantity:
1. Disposable
chux underpads shall be limited to a total of 3 per day, up to 93 per month,
except that if package sizes necessitate dispensing a greater monthly quantity,
the monthly quantity shall not exceed 105 per month;
2. Incontinence briefs, pull-ups, and diapers
shall be limited to a total of 6 per day, up to 186 per month, except as
follows:
(i) If package sizes necessitate
dispensing a monthly quantity which is greater than 186, the monthly quantity
shall not exceed 216 per month; and
(ii) The dispensing provider shall dispense
the fewest number of packages that result in a quantity as close as possible to
the 186 limit without going under, for example, if a package size is 10 diapers
per package, then 19 packages equaling 190 diapers shall be dispensed, not 20
nor 21 packages; and
3.
Pads and liners used to line undergarments shall be limited to a total of 3 per
day, up to 93 per month, except as follows:
(i) If package sizes necessitate dispensing a
monthly quantity which is greater than 93, the monthly quantity shall not
exceed 144 per month; and
(ii) The
dispensing provider shall dispense the fewest number of packages that result in
a quantity as close as possible to the 93 limit without going under, for
example, if a package size is 16 liners per package, then 6 packages equaling
96 liners shall be dispensed, not 17, 18, nor 19 packages;
(19) Functional
electric stimulation (FES), which is used to enable a recipient with spinal
cord injury to ambulate, shall be covered when the recipient meets all of the
following:
a. Has intact lower motor units,
L1 and below, both muscle and peripheral nerve;
b. Can bear weight on upper and lower
extremities to maintain an upright posture independently;
c. Demonstrates brisk muscle contraction in
response to neuromuscular electrical stimulation through a trial use of the
equipment by the recipient's physical therapist, and has sensory perception of
electrical stimulation sufficient for muscle contraction;
d. Is motivated and has the cognitive ability
to use such devices for walking;
e.
Can transfer independently and stand for at least 3 continuous
minutes;
f. Possesses hand and
finger function to manipulate the controls;
g. Is at least 6-months post-recovery of
spinal cord injury and restorative surgery;
h. Does not have hip or knee degenerative
disease and has no history of long bone fracture secondary to osteoporosis;
and
i. Has successfully completed a
training program, which consists of at least 32 physical therapy sessions with
the device over a 3-month period;
(20) Pediatric specialty beds shall be
covered for infants and children up to the age of 12, as follows:
a. The recipient has one or more of the
following diagnoses:
1. Traumatic brain
injury;
2. Moderate or severe
cerebral palsy;
3. Seizure disorder
with daily seizure activity, characterized by loss of consciousness or lack of
awareness to surroundings;
4.
Pervasive developmental disorder;
5. Psychiatric, neurological, or metabolic
diagnosis with documented risk of self-injury; or
6. Severe behavioral disorder;
b. The recipient has cognitive and
communication impairment;
c. There
is documentation of medical necessity that includes at least one of the
following:
1. Daily seizure activity as
described in a.3. above;
2.
Uncontrolled perpetual involuntary movement related to a medical diagnosis;
or
3. Self-injurious behavior, such
as head banging, where a helmet was tried and was not successful at reducing
the self-injurious behavior;
d. There is evidence of a safety risk that
includes at least one of the following:
1.
The recipient demonstrates unsafe mobility that will put the recipient at risk
for serious injury, not just a possibility of injury, such as climbing out of
bed;
2. The recipient has balance
problems or vertigo; or
3. The
recipient has history of injury that has occurred prior to the
request;
e. There is
documented use of more cost effective alternatives for which the outcomes were
unsuccessful, such as:
1. Positional aids and
side rails with padding around the regular bed;
2. Alternative bedding, such as moving the
mattress to the floor with surrounding padding;
3. Management of seizure disorder;
4. Pharmacotherapy;
5. Helmet for head protection;
6. Behavioral therapy;
7. Environmental assessment and removal of
safety hazards and use of appropriate child protective devices, such as on the
door knob or use of a baby gate to prevent the child from leaving the room;
or
8. Use of portable monitoring
devices, such as a baby monitor to listen in on the child's activities;
and
f. The LMN includes
the following:
1. The recipient's medical,
psychiatric, neurological, metabolic, and behavioral diagnosis;
2. The recipient's needs that are a result of
the diagnosis that shows the medical need for the specialty bed;
3. The specific name, type, and bed model
that addresses each of the recipient's needs with specific requirements such as
full safety rails, height required for safety, or the necessity of articulation
to raise the head or feet of the child to feed, medicate, or provide
mobility;
4. Documentation as to
how the recipient's current bed or crib or modifications to the bedroom fail to
address the clinical need and which states whether the recipient has the
capacity to climb;
5. Current and
previous treatment modalities, including an explanation why these modalities
were not successful;
6. Assessment
of cognitive function including developmental age equivalent for motor
function, cognitive function, and habilitation potential; and
7. Detailed history of safety issues
including incidence and resulting injury;
(21) Coverage of other items that are not
specifically listed elsewhere in this rule, such as those listed below, shall
be based on the National Coverage Determinations (NCD) criteria published in
the Medicare Coverage Database (MCD) at the time of the coverage determination,
as found at http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/ [File Link Not
Available], including:
a. Pressure-reducing
surfaces;
b. Enteral feeding
pumps;
c. Hospital beds and
accessories;
d. External infusion
pumps, with the exception of insulin pumps, which shall be subject to the
criteria set forth in
He-W
571.04(c) (3) above;
e. Negative pressure wound therapy
pumps;
f. Pneumatic compression
devices;
g. Hoyer type lifts and
other patient lift transfer systems;
h. Transcutaneous electrical nerve
stimulators (TENS);
i. Trapeze
bars;
j. Osteogenesis
stimulators;
k. Parenteral
nutrition pumps;
l. Suction
machines;
m. Airway clearance
devices, such as inexsufflators;
n.
Voice activated home glucose monitors;
o. Seat lift mechanisms that are not part of
a wheelchair;
p. Continuous passive
motion machines; and
q. Oxygen
compressors and humidification devices; and
(22) For items that are not specifically
listed elsewhere in this rule and are also not listed in the MCD, the
department shall review the recipient's medical information and shall cover the
item when the department determines that coverage of the item:
a. Is clinically appropriate in terms of
type, frequency of use, extent, site, and duration, and consistent with the
established diagnosis or treatment of the recipient's illness, injury, disease,
or its symptoms as determined by a review of the coverage criteria set forth in
the New Hampshire or New England commercial insurance coverage as listed in
He-W
530.05(b) (32) b.;
b. Is not primarily for the convenience of
the recipient or the recipient's family, caregiver, or health care
provider;
c. Is no more costly than
other items or services that would produce equivalent diagnostic, therapeutic,
or treatment results as related to the recipients' illness, injury, disease, or
its symptoms;
d. Is not
experimental, investigative, cosmetic, or duplicative in nature; and
e. Is allowable under Medicaid and does not
otherwise conflict with the New Hampshire Medicaid State Plan.
(See Revision Note at chapter heading He-W 500); ss by
#6158, eff 12-29-95, EXPIRED: 12-29-03