Back Pain - Non Invasive Treatments

Aetna covers back school (HCPCS S9117), therapeutic procedures/manual therapy (CPT 97110, 97140) and therapeutic activities (CPT 97530) and allows use of isokinetic/exercise-testing machines as medically necessary alternatives when prescribed by the member’s physician and conducted by a physical therapist or other appropriate recognized healthcare professional and when selection/coverage criteria are met. Quantitative muscle‑testing devices (MedX, Isostation, Kin‑Com, Cybex, Biodex, etc.) and numerous adjunctive treatments (e.g., auricular acupressure, cupping, Dr. Ho’s Decompression Belt, gabapentinoids for chronic low back pain, kinesiotaping, high‑frequency impulse therapy, intermittent vertical traction, Khan Kinetic, Orthotrac, spinal adjusting instruments, sustained acoustic medicine) are considered experimental/investigational or not covered; hand‑held dynamometers are integral to manual testing and not separately reimbursed, certain CPT/HCPCS codes (e.g., 97012, 97545/97546, 97750) are not covered for the CPB indications, and back school for occupational purposes may be excluded.