Pain Society Letter - JE Part A

Greetings! On behalf of the pain management workgroup, which has representation from all the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), we are reaching out to update you on our activities. We are currently working on a collaborative local coverage determination (LCD) policy for facet joint injections and medial nerve branch procedures. As a pain management society with leaders in the field on this topic we want to make sure you are aware and seek your input.

We are planning to host an evidence review advisory meeting which will be a combined meeting with all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). This meeting will be by teleconference, on May 28th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. As you are aware, we cannot accommodate all experts in the field on the panel, and we will endeavor to find panelists who represent a broad spectrum in terms of geography, practice setting, medical specialty, etc. We encourage your society and interested members to attend the meeting via teleconference as observers.

The panelist will be asked to rate the evidence surrounding facet joint injections and medial nerve branch procedures. We are seeking your input in preparation for meeting. What would you recommend as representative of the top 5-10 articles in the medical literature that your experts feel are the most important papers in facet joint and medical nerve procedures? What questions do you recommend we consider in evaluating this body of evidence?

The workgroup will be evaluating the evidence and consider the input of the evidence review advisory meeting in development of a draft LCD. Once that draft is complete each MAC will post the draft. At this time, you will have an opportunity to review the draft and you and your members will be welcomed to submit comments, and attend your jurisdictions open meeting where further presentations may be made. The input during this time will also be considered before a final policy is determined.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Meredith Loveless, M.D., CGS Administrators, J15
Neil Sandler, MD, CGS Administrators, J15
Leslie Stevens, M.D., First Coast Service Options, JN
Judith Volkar, M.D., Palmetto GBA, JJ and JM
Jason Stroud, M.D. Palmetto GBA, JJ and JM
Marc Duerden, M.D., National Government Services, J6 and JK
Arthur Lurvey, M.D., Noridian Healthcare Solutions, JE and JF
Eileen Moynihan, M.D., Noridian Healthcare Solutions, JE and JF
Robert Kettler, M.D., Wisconsin Physician Services Insurance Corporation, J5 and J8