LCD L33785: High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation Devices

For any item to be covered by Medicare, it must 1) be eligible for a defined Medicare benefit category, 2) be reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member, and 3) meet all other applicable Medicare statutory and regulatory requirements.

The purpose of a Local Coverage Determination (LCD) is to provide information regarding "reasonable and necessary" criteria based on Social Security Act § 1862(a)(1)(A) provisions.

In addition to the "reasonable and necessary" criteria contained in this LCD there are other payment rules, which are discussed in the following documents, that must also be met prior to Medicare reimbursement:

The LCD-related Standard Documentation Requirements Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the Related Local Coverage Documents section.

The LCD-related Policy Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the Related Local Coverage Documents section.

Refer to the Supplier Manual for additional information on documentation requirements.

Refer to the DME MAC web sites for additional bulletin articles and other publications related to this LCD.

For the items addressed in this LCD, the "reasonable and necessary" criteria, based on Social Security Act § 1862(a)(1)(A) provisions, are defined by the following coverage indications, limitations and/or medical necessity.

High frequency chest wall oscillation devices (HFCWO) (E0483) are covered for beneficiaries who meet:

Criterion 1, 2, or 3, and

Criterion 4

There is a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (refer to the ICD-10 code list in the LCD-related Policy Article for applicable diagnoses).

There is a diagnosis of bronchiectasis (refer to the ICD-10 code list in the LCD-related Policy Article for applicable diagnoses) which has been confirmed by a high resolution, spiral, or standard CT scan and which is characterized by:

Daily productive cough for at least 6 continuous months; or

Frequent (i.e., more than 2/year) exacerbations requiring antibiotic therapy.

Chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the absence of a confirmed diagnosis of bronchiectasis do not meet this criterion.

The beneficiary has one of the following neuromuscular disease diagnoses (refer to the ICD-10 code list in the LCD-related Policy Article for applicable diagnoses):

Post-polio

Acid maltase deficiency

Anterior horn cell diseases

Multiple sclerosis

Quadriplegia

Hereditary muscular dystrophy

Myotonic disorders

Other myopathies

Paralysis of the diaphragm

There must be well-documented failure of standard treatments to adequately mobilize retained secretions.

If all of the criteria are not met, the claim will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

It is not reasonable and necessary for a beneficiary to use both a HFCWO device and a mechanical in-exsufflation device (E0482).

Replacement supplies, A7025 and A7026, used with beneficiary owned equipment, are covered if the beneficiary meets the criteria listed above for the base device, E0483. If these criteria are not met claims will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

GENERAL

A Standard Written Order (SWO) must be communicated to the supplier before a claim is submitted. If the supplier bills for an item addressed in this policy without first receiving a completed SWO, the claim shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

For Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) base items that require a Written Order Prior to Delivery (WOPD), the supplier must have received a signed SWO before the DMEPOS item is delivered to a beneficiary. If a supplier delivers a DMEPOS item without first receiving a WOPD, the claim shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Refer to the LCD-related Policy Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the Related Local Coverage Documents section.

For DMEPOS base items that require a WOPD, and also require separately billed associated options, accessories, and/or supplies, the supplier must have received a WOPD which lists the base item and which may list all the associated options, accessories, and/or supplies that are separately billed prior to the delivery of the items. In this scenario, if the supplier separately bills for associated options, accessories, and/or supplies without first receiving a completed and signed WOPD of the base item prior to delivery, the claim(s) shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

An item/service is correctly coded when it meets all the coding guidelines listed in CMS HCPCS guidelines, LCDs, LCD-related Policy Articles, or DME MAC articles. Claims that do not meet coding guidelines shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary/incorrectly coded.

Proof of delivery (POD) is a Supplier Standard and DMEPOS suppliers are required to maintain POD documentation in their files. Proof of delivery documentation must be made available to the Medicare contractor upon request. All services that do not have appropriate proof of delivery from the supplier shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

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