Date
ANTHEM-MP-A049923
- Policy addresses noninvasive technologies for evaluating skin lesions, including dermatoscopy/dermoscopy (ELM/DELM, direct, digital, and computer-assisted), reflectance confocal microscopy, whole-body integumentary photography (melanomagram), confocal scanning laser microscopy, electrical impedance spectroscopy, and elastic scattering spectroscopy. - Coverage: Dermatoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy are considered not medically necessary in all cases; whole-body photography/melanomagram and the listed adjunctive technologies are investigational and not medically necessary—therefore not covered. - Limitations: Determinations apply to all indications for skin lesion evaluation (no covered indications); related codes (96904, 96931–96936, 96999) are subject to noncoverage.
"Dermatoscopy (also known as dermoscopy, epiluminescence microscopy [ELM], or digital epiluminescence microscopy [DELM], skin surface microscopy, skin videomicroscopy, or incidence light microscopy)..."