Medicare Coverage Victory!
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) announced on October 6, 2000 a new policy of mandated (required) Medicare coverage for Biofeedback in the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence. The decision summary:
| DECISION: |
Amend Coverage Issues Manual 35-27 to include the following:
Biofeedback therapy is covered for the treatment of stress and/or urge incontinence in patients who failed a documented trial of pelvic muscle exercise training or who are unable to perform pelvic muscle exercises. Contractors may decide whether or not to cover biofeedback as an initial treatment modality.
In addition HCFA reversed the previous exclusion of electrical stimulation in the treatment of incontinence, but only as a "secondary" treatment; here's the summary:
| DECISION: |
Amend Coverage Issues Manual 65-9C to state:
Electronic Stimulators--Pelvic floor electrical stimulators, inserted into the vaginal canal or rectum, are covered as reasonable and necessary as a treatment for stress and/or urge urinary incontinence. The patient must have first undergone and failed a documented trial of pelvic muscle exercise training. These devices are not covered as initial treatment modality for stress or urge incontinence. Implanted stimulators remain noncovered.
For links to the full coverage decision announcements on the HCFA website, and dozens of related documents that are described in them, click here.