Neurosurgery Objects to Burdensome Prior Authorization Requirements

On Nov. 2, the AANS and the CNS sent a letter to Independence Blue Cross of Philadelphia regarding coverage guidelines requiring a physiatry consultation to authorize lumbar spinal fusion procedures, including fractures and tumors. The AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (DSPN) prepared the response, objecting to the care delays that will ensue if patients must first see a physiatrist as a condition of prior authorization for medically necessary spine surgery. The organizations have requested a follow-up meeting with the plan's medical director.