About Coverage Recommendations


Based on increasing demand and requests from interested parties, NASS is now offering this valuable resource in a user-friendly individual chapter format! NASS Coverage Recommendations are offered at no cost to NASS members and payors and for $395 per chapter for non-members.

Overview

As part of its mission to foster the highest quality, evidence-based and ethical spine care, NASS continues to develop credible and reasonable coverage recommendations to assist payors, providers, and patients in defining appropriate and fair coverage decisions. NASS evidence-based coverage recommendations are developed to advocate for NASS’ positions on various clinical and practice issues to ensure continued provision of quality spine care.

Methodology

To develop these first-of-their kind coverage recommendations, NASS’ multi-disciplinary team of spine specialists systematically reviews available scientific literature. Searches are limited to systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, and most importantly, randomized controlled trials. Using an evidence-based approach when possible, the team works together to develop the recommendations. In the absence of high-level data, NASS coverage recommendations reflect the multi-specialty experience and expertise of the committee members in order to present reasonable standard practice indications in the United States. Click here to access NASS’ Coverage Recommendations Methodology!

Access Instructions

NASS Wants to Hear From You!

The NASS Coverage Committee extends its sincere appreciation for the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received on our previously published coverage policy recommendations. These helpful comments and suggestions help us better represent the needs of our members and achieve our mission of promoting ethical and evidence-based spine care.

We would like to keep this valuable exchange of ideas flowing by offering a 30-day public comment period on our latest coverage policy recommendation on Vertebral Body Tethering. NASS encourages interested parties to email any comments to these proposed documents by September 27, 2019. At the end of the public comment period, comments will be reviewed and considered by the NASS Coverage Committee. Where appropriate, the Committee will make edits and then publish the final coverage recommendations below.

Proposed Coverage Policy Recommendations

Current Coverage Policy Recommendations

Topics Last Publication Date
Allograft and Demineralized Bone Matrix for Spinal Fusion October 2017 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Cervical Epidural Injections & Diagnostic Spinal Nerve Blocks May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement November 2015 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Cervical Fusion July 2015 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Cervical Laminoplasty July 2015 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Coccygectomy October 2016 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Discography June 2018 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
DNA-Based Scoliosis Test August 2016 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Electrical Stimulation for Bone Healing October 2016 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Endoscopic Decompression February 2019 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Facet Joint Interventions October 2016 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Interspinous Device Without Fusion May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Interspinous Fixation with Fusion May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems March 2017 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Laser Spine Surgery May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement February 2019 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Discetomy May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Epidural Injections May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Fusion May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Interspinous Device without Fusion and with Decompression May 2018 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Laminectomy October 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Lumbar Laminotomy May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Percutaneous Sacroiliac Joint Fusion June 2015 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Percutaneous Thoracolumbar Stabilization May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein (rhBMP-2) May 2014 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Sacroiliac Joint Injections November 2015 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
Spinal Cord Stimulation October 2017 Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $395.00
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Disclaimers


NASS Coverage Recommendations Disclaimers:

  • The North American Spine Society Coverage Recommendations are developed to assist payers, providers and patients in determining whether medical services and procedures should be covered for payment based on review of the best available clinical evidence and the expert opinion of committee members.
  • NASS coverage recommendations are reviewed and updated periodically and are therefore subject to change.
  • These materials are for the member or purchaser's own personal use, and may not be distributed further or modified in any way without the express permission of NASS. If materials are reproduced, transmitted, distributed or duplicated in accordance with the member or purchaser's own personal use, the materials must be reproduced, transmitted, distributed or duplicated in their entirety.

Translation Disclaimer:

  • Coverage recommendations may be reprinted and translated with the permission of NASS. NASS does not verify, certify and is not responsible for the accuracy of any translations, and has advised any parties translating the NASS coverage recommendations to carefully verify the accuracy of their translations prior to publication and dissemination.
  • In addition, NASS asks that any prospective translator complete the coverage recommendations translation record and send a copy to NASS to keep on file so that NASS may track all translations, appropriately direct individuals to translations of interest and notify translators of content updates and revisions.

Comments


Comments regarding the coverage recommendations may be submitted to the North American Spine Society and will be considered in development of future revisions of the work.