LCD/NCD Portal

NCD130.4

 

ELECTRICAL AVERSION THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM

 

Effective Date of this Version

• This is a longstanding national coverage determination.

• The effective date of this version has not been posted.

 

Benefit Category

• Physicians' Services.

• Note: This may not be an exhaustive list of all applicable Medicare benefit categories for this item or service.

 

Item/Service Description

• Electroversion Therapy, Electro-shock Therapy, Noxious Faradic Stimulation.

• Electrical aversion therapy is a behavior modification technique to foster abstinence from ingestion of alcoholic beverages by developing in a patient conditioned aversions to their taste, smell and sight through electric stimulation.

 

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

• Electrical aversion therapy has not been shown to be safe and effective and therefore is excluded from coverage.

 

Cross Reference

See §§30.1, 130.1, and 130.3 of the NCD Manual.

 

Medicare NCD Link