CMM-606: Lumbar Microdiscectomy (Laminotomy, Laminectomy, or Hemilaminectomy)

Lumbar microdiscectomy (laminotomy/laminectomy/hemilaminectomy) is covered for urgent/emergent indications (e.g., cauda equina, progressive neurologic deficit, significant motor weakness, infection, epidural hematoma, neoplasm) and for non‑urgent neurogenic claudication or radiculopathy when symptoms, objective exam findings, and imaging are concordant; it is excluded for isolated axial low back pain, symptoms not concordant with imaging, laser or percutaneous laser techniques, asymptomatic patients, and patients with unmanaged significant mental/behavioral health disorders. Key requirements: recent (≤6 months) MRI/CT concordant with symptoms and objective neurologic findings, less-than-clinical improvement after ≥2 conservative treatments (6 weeks each of prescription meds/steroids/NSAIDs and provider‑directed exercise and/or epidural/selective nerve root injection) for non‑urgent cases (not required for confirmed urgent/emergent), and repeat surgery must be >12 weeks from prior decompression with prior symptom relief unless imaging shows persistent compression.