New Local Coverage Determination Introduced for Region 6

According to the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Outpatient Sleep Studies from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a requirement stipulates that sleep disorders facilities in Region I (Rhode Island) and Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and parts of eastern Missouri) employ sleep technicians certified by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists to perform sleep studies.

This requirement takes effect October 1, 2008, for Rhode Island and January 1, 2008, for Region VI.

The LCD also includes a requirement that a sleep medicine physician certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) must supervise and read all sleep studies by January 1, 2012. Furthermore, all sleep studies must be performed in a sleep disorders center or laboratory that has received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine or The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

Download the LCD from www.momedicare.com/provider/medpolb/ac03030.asp.