LCD/NCD Portal

NCD80.2

 

PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (OPT)

 

Effective Date of this Version

4/1/2004

 

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

• Photodynamic therapy is a medical procedure which involves the infusion of a photosensitive (light-activated) drug with a very specific absorption peak.

• This drug is chemically designed to have a unique affinity for the diseased tissue intended for treatment.

• Once introduced to the body, the drug accumulates and is retained in diseased tissue to a greater degree than in normal tissue.

• Infusion is followed by the targeted irradiation of this tissue with a non-thermal laser, calibrated to emit light at a wavelength that corresponds to the drug’s absorption peak.

• The drug then becomes active and locally treats the diseased tissue.

 

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

 

Ocular photodynamic therapy (OPT)

• The OPT is used in the treatment of ophthalmologic diseases.

o OPT is only covered when used in conjunction with verteporfin (see §80.3, “Photosensitive Drugs”).

 Classic Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascular (CNV) Lesions

 OPT is covered with a diagnosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with predominately classic subfoveal choroidal neovascular (CNV) lesions (where the area of classic CNV occupies 50 percent of the area of the entire lesion) at the initial visit as determined by a fluorescein angiogram.

 Subsequent follow-up visits will require a fluorescein angiogram prior to treatment.

 There are no requirements regarding visual acuity, lesion size, and number of re-treatments.

 Occult Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascular (CNV) Lesions

 OPT is noncovered for patients with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with occult and no classic CNV lesions.

 Other Conditions

 Use of OPT with verteporfin for other types of AMD (e.g., patients with minimally classic CNV lesions, atrophic, or dry AMD) is NONCOVERED.

 OPT with verteporfin for other ocular indications such as pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, is eligible for coverage through individual contractor discretion.

 

Cross Reference

• Also see NCD on Verteporfin §80.3.

 

Coverage Transmittal Link

• http://www.cms.gov/transmittals/downloads/R9NCD.pdf

 

National Coverage Analyses (NCAs)

• This NCD has been or is currently being reviewed under the National Coverage Determination process.

• The following are existing associations with NCAs, from the National Coverage Analyses database.

• Original consideration for Ocular Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin for Macular Degeneration (CAG-00066N) opens in new window

• First reconsideration for Ocular Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin for Macular Degeneration (CAG-00066R) opens in new window

• Second reconsideration for Ocular Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin for Macular Degeneration (CAG-00066R2) opens in new window

• Third reconsideration for Ocular Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin for Macular Degeneration (CAG-00066R3) opens in new window

 

Medicare NCD Link