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In order for patients to gain access to managed care plans, it depends in part on
whether a service or product is found to be "medically necessary". Some definitions
of medical necessity may lead to the denial of patients' claims.
Specifications for Defining Medical Necessity
1. A covered service or product is medically necessary if it will do, or is
reasonably expected to do, one or more of the following:
a. Arrive at a correct medical diagnosis.
b. Prevent the onset of an illness, condition, injury, or disability in the patient.
c. Reduce, correct, or ameliorate the physical, mental, developmental, or behavioral effects of an illness, condition, injury, or disability.
d. Assist the patient to achieve or maintain sufficient functional capacity to perform at age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate daily
activities.
2. The managed care organization or insurer must determine medical necessity
on the basis of health information provided by the following persons: the
patient (as appropriate to his or her age and communicative abilities), the
patient's family, the primary care physician, and consultants with appropriate
specialty training, as well as other providers, programs, multidisciplinary
teams, educational institutions, or agencies that have evaluated the
individual.
3. The determination of medical necessity must be made on an individual basis
and must consider:
a. The functional capacity of the person and those capacities that are appropriate for persons of the same age or developmental level.
b. Available research findings, health care practice guidelines, and standards issued by professionally recognized organizations or government agencies.
4. Final determinations will be made by a physician in concert with the following
persons: the individual's primary care physician; a consultant with experience
appropriate to the individual's age, disability, or chronic condition; and the
individual and/or family.
5. Medically necessary services must be delivered in a setting (e.g. an
individual's home, school, child care centre, workplace, or community-based
agency) that is appropriate to the specific health needs of the individual.
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