treating a Sickness, Injury, Mental Illness, substance use disorder, condition, disease or its symptoms, that are all
of the following as determined by us or our designee, within our sole discretion.
In accordance with Generally Accepted Standards of Medical Practice.
Clinically appropriate, in terms of type, frequency, extent, site and duration, and considered effective for
your
Sickness, Injury, Mental Illness, substance use disorder, disease or its
symptoms.
Not mainly for your convenience or that of your doctor or other health care provider.
Not more costly than an alternative drug, service(s) or supply that is at least as likely to produce equivalent
therapeutic or diagnostic results as to the diagnosis or treatment of your Sickness, Injury, disease or
symptoms.
Generally Accepted Standards of Medical Practice are standards that are based on credible scientific evidence
published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community, relying
primarily on controlled clinical trials, or, if not available, observational studies from more than one institution that
suggest a causal relationship between the service or treatment and health outcomes.
If no credible scientific evidence is available, then standards that are based on Physician specialty society
recommendations or professional standards of care may be considered. We reserve the right to consult expert
opinion in determining whether health care services are Medically Necessary. The decision to apply Physician
specialty society recommendations, the choice of expert and the determination of when to use any such expert
opinion, shall be within our sole discretion.
We develop and maintain clinical policies that describe the Generally Accepted Standards of Medical Practice
scientific evidence, prevailing medical standards and clinical guidelines supporting our
determinati
ons regarding
specific services. These clinical policies (as developed by us and revised from time to time), are available to
Covered Persons on
www.myuhc.com or by calling Customer Care at the telephone number on your ID card, and
to Physicians and other health care professionals on UnitedHealthcareOnline.
Medicare - Parts A, B, C and D of the insurance program established by Title XVIII, United States Social Security
Act, as amended by 42 U.S.C. Sections 1394, et seq. and as later amended.
Mental Health Services - Covered Health Services for the diagnosis and treatment of Mental Illnesses. The fact
that a condition is listed in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association
does not mean that treatment for the condition is a Covered Health Service.
Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder Designee - the organization or individual, designated by us, that
provides or arranges Mental Health Services and Substance Use Disorder Services for which Benefits are
available under the Policy.
Mental Illness - those mental health or psychiatric diagnostic categories that are listed in the current Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, unless those services are specifically excluded
under the Policy.
Network - when used to describe a provider of health care services, this means a provider that has a participation
agreement in effect (either directly or indirectly) with us or with our affiliate to participate in our Network; however,
this does not include those providers who have agreed to discount their charges for Covered Health Services by
way of their participation in the Shared Savings Program. Our affiliates are those entities affiliated with us
through
common ownership or control with us or with our ultimate corporate parent, including direct and
indirect
subsidiaries.
A provider may enter into an agreement to provide only certain Covered Health Services, but not all
Covered
Health Services, or to be a Network provider for only some of our products. In this case, the provider will be
a
Network provider for the Covered Health Services and products included in the participation agreement, and
a
non-Network provider for other Covered Health Services and products. The participation status of providers
will
change from time to
time.
Network Benefits - for Benefit plans that have a Network Benefit level, this is the description of how Benefits
are
paid for Covered Health Services provided by Network providers. Refer to the Schedule of Benefits to
determine
whether or not your Benefit plan offers Network Benefits and for details about how Network Benefits
apply.
New Pharmaceutical Product - a Pharmaceutical Product or new dosage form of a previously
approved
Pharmaceutical Product, for the period of time starting on the date the Pharmaceutical Product or new
dosage
form is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
(FDA) and ending on the earlier of the following
dates: