Section 550. Corneal transplantation

A. Patient selection criteria for provision of corneal transplantation (CT). Transplantation of the cornea is a surgical treatment whereby a diseased cornea is replaced by a healthy organ. While pre-authorization is not required, the following patient selection criteria shall apply for the consideration of all approvals for reimbursement for cornea transplantation.

1. Current medical therapy has failed and will not prevent progressive disability;

2. The patient is suffering from one of the following conditions:

a. Post-cataract surgical decompensation,

b. Corneal dystrophy,

c. Post-traumatic scarring,

d. Keratoconus, or

e. Aphakia Bullous Keratopathy;

3. Adequate supervision will be provided to assure there will be strict adherence by the patient to the long term medical regimen which is required;

4. The CT is likely to restore a range of physical and social function suited to activities of daily living;

5. The patient is not in both an irreversible terminal state and on a life support system;

6. The patient does not have untreatable cancer, bacterial, fungal, or viral infection;

7. The patient does not have the following eye conditions:

a. Trichiasis,

b. Abnormal lid brush and/or function,

c. Tear film deficiency,

d. Raised transocular pressure,

e. Intensive inflammation, and

f. Extensive neo-vascularization.

B. Facility selection criteria for cornea transplantation (CT). For medical facility to qualify as an approved Medicaid provider for performing cornea transplants, the following conditions must be met:

1. The facility has available expertise in immunology, infectious disease, pathology, pharmacology, and anesthesiology;

2. The CT program staff has extensive experience and expertise in the medical and surgical treatment of eye disease;

3. Transplant surgeons on the staff have been trained in the CT technique at an institution with a well established CT program;

4. The transplantation program has adequate services to provide social support for patients and families;

5. Satisfactory arrangements exist for donor procurement services;

6. The institution is committed to a program of eye surgery;

7. The center has a consistent, equitable, and practical protocol for selection of patients (at a minimum, the DMAS Patient Selection Criteria must be met and adhered to);

8. The center has the capacity and commitment to conduct a systematic evaluation of outcome and cost;

9. In addition to hospital administration and medical staff endorsement, hospital staff support also exists for such a program;

10. Initial approval as CT center requires performance of corneal transplant surgery, with a one year graft survival rate of at least 75%. Centers that fail to meet this requirement during the first year will be given a one-year conditional approval. Failure to meet this requirement following the conditional approval will result in loss of approval.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 14, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 1998.

Statutory Authority

§ 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.