HIGHMARK COMMERCIAL MEDICAL POLICY - PENNSYLVANIA

 
 

Medical Policy:
E-8-020
Topic:
Patient Lifts
Section:
Durable Medical Equipment
Effective Date:
October 28, 2024
Issued Date:
October 28, 2024
Last Revision Date:
September 2024
Annual Review:
September 2024
 
 

Patient lifts are devices (hydraulic, mechanical, electric) that are designed to provide a means of transferring a person safely from one area to another and back when the individual is unable to assist with the transfer.

Policy Position

Patient lifts may be considered medically necessary DME when ALL of the following are met

  • The individual is bed-confined (transfer between bed and a chair, wheelchair, commode, or shower/bath chair requires the assistance of more than one (1) person without the use of a lift) due to an underlying condition. The following are examples of medically necessary conditions, however, this is not an all-inclusive list
    • Advanced degenerative muscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy
    • Bilateral amputee
    • Coma
    • Contractures (rigidity)
    • Degenerative joint disease
    • Fracture pelvis or spine
    • Hip spica or body cast
    • Paralysis (hemiplegia, paraplegia, quadriplegia, hemiparesis)
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Severe congestive heart failure
    • Severe neurological disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, syringomyelia, spinal cord tumors, advanced cerebellar degeneration)
    • Stroke
  • The individual requires periodic movement to effect improvement or to arrest/retard deterioration in their condition
  • The individual requires transfer between bed and chair, wheelchair, commode, or shower/bath chair
  • The patient lift is ONE or more of the following
    • Multi-positional patient transfer system with integrated seat
    • Standard hydraulic/mechanical lift (e.g. Hoyer lift) with sling

Patient lifts not meeting the criteria as indicated in this policy are considered not medically necessary.

NOTE: Total payments for a rental item may not exceed its allowable purchase price, except for those items identified as life sustaining DME.

E0621

E0630

E0635

E0639

 

 

 




The following types of patient lifts are not covered because they do not meet the definition of covered durable medical equipment (DME) or because they are considered home modifications or convenience items: 

  • Patient lifts used primarily to move a patient in or out of the bathtub
  • Auto lifts ( used to lift a wheelchair into a car, truck or van) 
  • Wheelchair lifts or ramps (e.g., Wheel-O-Vator lift)(provides access to stairways or car trunks) 
  • Ceiling lifts (patient lifts mounted on tracks that are attached to the ceiling) 
  • Platform lifts, stair lifts, and stairway elevators

E0625

E0640

E1399

 

 

 

 




Related Policies

Refer to Reimbursement Policy RP-070, Continuous Rental of Life Sustaining DME, for additional information.


Place of Service: Outpatient

The use of Patient Lifts is typically an outpatient procedure which is only eligible for coverage as an inpatient procedure in special circumstances, including, but not limited to, the presence of a co-morbid condition that would require monitoring in a more controlled environment such as the inpatient setting.


The policy position applies to all commercial lines of business



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This policy is designed to address medical guidelines that are appropriate for the majority of individuals with a particular disease, illness, or condition. Each person's unique clinical or other circumstances may warrant individual consideration, based on review of applicable medical records, as well as other regulatory, contractual and/or legal requirements.

Medical policies do not constitute medical advice, nor are they intended to govern the practice of medicine. They are intended to reflect Highmark's reimbursement and coverage guidelines. Coverage for services may vary for individual members, based on the terms of the benefit contract.

Highmark retains the right to review and update its medical policy guidelines at its sole discretion. These guidelines are the proprietary information of Highmark. Any sale, copying or dissemination of the medical policies is prohibited; however, limited copying of medical policies is permitted for individual use.

Discrimination is Against the Law
The Claims Administrator/Insurer complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The Claims Administrator/Insurer does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The Claims Administrator/ Insurer:

  • Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
    • Qualified sign language interpreters
    • Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
  • Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
    • Qualified interpreters
    • Information written in other languages

If you need these services, contact the Civil Rights Coordinator.

If you believe that the Claims Administrator/Insurer has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with: Civil Rights Coordinator, P.O. Box 22492, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Phone: 1-866-286-8295, TTY: 711, Fax: 412-544-2475, email: CivilRightsCoordinator@highmarkhealth.org. You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, the Civil Rights Coordinator is available to help you.

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)

Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.

This information is issued by Highmark Blue Shield on behalf of its affiliated Blue companies, which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.  Highmark Inc. d/b/a Highmark Blue Shield and certain of its affiliated Blue companies serve Blue Shield members in the 21 counties of central Pennsylvania. As a partner in joint operating agreements, Highmark Blue Shield also provides services in conjunction with a separate health plan in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Highmark Inc. or certain of its affiliated Blue companies also serve Blue Cross Blue Shield members in 29 counties in western Pennsylvania, 13 counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, the state of West Virginia plus Washington County, Ohio, the state of Delaware[ and [8] counties in western New York and Blue Shield members in [13] counties in northeastern New York].  All references to Highmark in this document are references to Highmark Inc. d/b/a Highmark Blue Shield and/or to one or more of its affiliated Blue companies.





Medical policies do not constitute medical advice, nor are they intended to govern the practice of medicine. They are intended to reflect reimbursement and coverage guidelines. Coverage for services may vary for individual members, based on the terms of the benefit contract.

Discrimination is Against the Law
The Claims Administrator/Insurer complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The Claims Administrator/Insurer does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The Claims Administrator/ Insurer:

  • Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
  • Qualified sign language interpreters
  • Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)

  • Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
  • Qualified interpreters
  • Information written in other languages
  • If you need these services, contact the Civil Rights Coordinator.

    If you believe that the Claims Administrator/Insurer has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with: Civil Rights Coordinator, P.O. Box 22492, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Phone: 1-866-286-8295 , TTY: 711, Fax: 412-544-2475, email: CivilRightsCoordinator@highmarkhealth.org. You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, the Civil Rights Coordinator is available to help you.

    You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    200 Independence Avenue, SW
    Room 509F, HHH Building
    Washington, D.C. 20201
    1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)

    Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.