SURG.00071 Percutaneous Spinal Surgery

This policy addresses percutaneous spinal surgical procedures for disc decompression, including automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD), laser discectomy, and nucleoplasty. Anthem deems these percutaneous spinal surgery techniques investigational and not medically necessary; therefore, they are not covered for any indication. This noncoverage applies across cervical and lumbar applications and to related image-guided techniques (e.g., CPT/HCPCS 22899, 62287, 62330, 62331, 62380, 64999, C2614, C9729, S2348), with no listed exceptions.

"Percutaneous spinal surgical techniques are consideredinvestigational and not medically necessary."

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