Products & ProgramsCommercialJuly 31, 2019

Updates to AIM Advanced Imaging Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines

Effective for dates of service on and after November 10, 2019, the following updates will apply to the AIM Advanced Imaging Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines.

 

Oncologic Imaging Guideline contains updates to the following:  

  • Colorectal cancer, germ cell tumors, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer and cancers of unknown primary/cancers not otherwise specified,
  • Added new sections on hepatobiliary cancer and suspected metastases
  • Added allowance for MRI and/or MRCP for diagnostic workup of hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
  • Added allowance for PET “When standard imaging prior to planned curative surgery for cholangiocarcinoma has been performed and has not demonstrated metastatic disease”

 

Vascular Imaging Guideline contains updates to the following:  

  • Brain, head and neck:  aneurysm - intracranial, aneurysm - extracranial, arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and fistula (AVF), fibromuscular dysplasia, hemorrhage - intracranial, stenosis or occlusion - extracranial, stenosis or occlusion -  intracranial, stroke and venous thrombosis or compression - intracranial
  • Chest: acute aortic syndrome, aortic aneurysm, pulmonary artery hypertension
  • Abdomen and pelvis: acute aortic syndrome, aneurysm of the abdominal aorta or iliac arteries, hematoma/hemorrhage within the abdomen or unexplained hypotension, renal artery stenosis (RAS)/renovascular hypertension, venous thrombosis or compression – intracranial, stenosis or occlusion of the abdominal aorta or branch vessels, not otherwise specified
  • Upper extremity: peripheral arterial disease, venous thrombosis or occlusion
  • Lower extremity: added physiologic testing for peripheral arterial disease and further defined indications for classic presenting symptoms of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease
  • Added arterial ultrasound guideline content
  • Aligned peripheral arterial ultrasound with advanced vascular imaging criteria

 

Imaging of the Heart Guideline contains updates to the following:  

  • Blood pool imaging: changes address appropriate evaluation and surveillance of LV function in patients following cardiac transplantation. Additional language is more restrictive based on the literature and aligns with the resting transthoracic echocardiography guideline.
  • Cardiac CT: quantitative evaluation of coronary artery calcification has been revised with new more expansive language based on review of the literature.

 

Ordering and servicing providers may submit prior authorization requests to AIM in one of several ways:

  • Access AIM’s ProviderPortalSM directly at providerportal.com. Online access is available 24/7 to process orders in real-time, and is the fastest and most convenient way to request authorization.
  • Access AIM via the Availity Web Portal at availity.com
  • Call the AIM Contact Center toll-free number: 866-714-1107, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

 

For questions related to guidelines, please contact AIM via email at aim.guidelines@aimspecialtyhealth.com. Additionally, you may access and download a copy of the current guidelines here.