CMM-402: Greater Occipital Nerve Block

eviCore covers greater occipital nerve blocks using anesthetic only for initial and recurrent occipital neuralgia but excludes biologic or other non‑anesthetic injectates and considers occipital nerve ablation experimental; limits include no more than six blocks per anatomic area per 12 months, no same‑day cervical procedures, and none within 4 weeks of a prior occipital/cervical injection. Key requirements: a comprehensive headache evaluation excluding other causes, imaging and clinical findings with tenderness over the greater occipital nerve, documented self‑care failure (NSAIDs/muscle relaxants and rest/massage/heat) for repeat injections, demonstrable clinically meaningful improvement after the first injection (≥50% global improvement or ≥2‑point VAS drop), and co‑management/plan for opioid overuse if chronic opioids are used.

"Confirmed diagnosis of recurrent occipital neuralgia as evidenced by tenderness to palpation over the greater occipital nerve."