LCD/NCD Portal

NCD160.2

 

TREATMENT OF MOTOR FUNCTION DISORDERS WITH ELECTRIC NERVE STIMULATION

 

 

Effective Date of this Version

• 4/1/2003

 

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

• While electric nerve stimulation has been employed to control chronic intractable pain for some time, its use in the treatment of motor function disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, is a recent innovation, and the medical effectiveness of such therapy has not been verified by scientifically controlled studies.

 

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

• Where electric nerve stimulation is employed to treat motor function disorders, NO reimbursement may be made for the stimulator or for the services related to its implantation since this treatment cannot be considered reasonable and necessary.

• Note: For Medicare coverage of deep brain stimulation for essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, see §160.24 of the NCD Manual.

 

Cross Reference

Also see NCD on Electrical Nerve Stimulators (§160.7).

Transmittal Information

Coverage Transmittal Link

• http://www.cms.gov/transmittals/downloads/R167CIM.pdf

 

 

Medicare NCD Link