Medicare prior authorization · 22551
22551 — Cervical Fusion with Disc Removal
Subject to the hospital outpatient department prior authorization program nationwide when furnished in a hospital outpatient department. The decision is made on Medicare’s existing coverage policy; nothing in these programs changes what is covered.
The coverage policy the reviewer applies, by contractor
CMS publishes no policy references for this program’s code list. The policies below are the ones whose own procedure-code tables list 22551 — matched by CLV analysis; the linked CMS document is authoritative. Each state’s contractor writes its own, so the policy that decides a request depends on the state.
Noridian · 16 states: AK, AS, AZ, CA, GU, HI, ID, MP, MT, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
- L39758 — Cervical Fusion — Noridian · CMS version 14 · captured 2026-07-23
- L39762 — Cervical Fusion — Noridian · CMS version 9 · captured 2026-07-24
This contractor publishes more than one policy listing 22551, and the capture records the contractor rather than the jurisdiction — so which one governs depends on the jurisdiction serving the state. Run the check for your state.
Novitas · 12 states: AR, CO, DC, DE, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NM, OK, PA, TX
- L39793 — Cervical Fusion — Novitas · CMS version 47 · captured 2026-09-12
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
National Government Services · 10 states: CT, IL, MA, ME, MN, NH, NY, RI, VT, WI
- L39770 — Cervical Fusion — NGS · CMS version 13 · captured 2026-07-23
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
Palmetto GBA · 7 states: AL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
- L39773 — Cervical Fusion — Palmetto GBA · CMS version 7 · captured 2026-09-12
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
WPS · 6 states: IA, IN, KS, MI, MO, NE
- L39788 — Cervical Fusion — WPS · CMS version 11 · captured 2026-07-28
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
First Coast · 3 states: FL, PR, VI
- L39799 — Cervical Fusion — First Coast · CMS version 16 · captured 2026-09-12
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
CGS Administrators · 2 states: KY, OH
- L39741 — Cervical Fusion — CGS · CMS version 8 · captured 2026-09-14
Read the documentation requirements in the linked CMS document.
Hospital-OPD prior authorization program
- Where
- nationwide, hospital outpatient department only
- Decision
- 7 calendar days; 2 business days expedited
- Coverage policy
- the MAC’s LCD for the state — the check below finds it
- CMS note
- Since 2021-07-01.
Check 22551 for your state, diagnosis and setting
The governing policy as it stands today, whether the diagnosis is on its list, and the documentation the policy’s own text requires — quoted, source-linked, free.
Run the check →Full lists: hospital outpatient code list
Same family: 22552
Sources: CMS WISeR Provider and Supplier Operational Guide v7.0 (2026-07-24), Appendix A; CMS list of OPD services requiring prior authorization (2024-08-05); CMS list of ambulatory surgical center services for prior authorization (2026-03-05) and the ASC Operational Guide (2026-03-03). Codes are shown as numbers only, as CMS lists them. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.