Iridex Corporation announced its successful advocacy for revision of the recently issued Medicare Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Cyclophotocoagulation (CPC). During the last few days, the five Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) that issued the new LCDs have all corrected errors in criteria for coverage of CPC resulting in significantly broader patient qualification in the jurisdictions of these MACs. The change in criteria better aligns the LCDs with the conclusions and recommendations made by the authors of the 2001 paper, "Cyclophotocoagulation, A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO"), by mirroring several of the recommended indications.

Specifically, the list of patient characteristics used in the criteria, which had been separated by the word "AND," are corrected to be separated by the word "OR" and read as follows: "4. Cyclophotocoagulation will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for patients with refractory glaucoma when: a. have failed trabeculectomy or tube shunt procedures, OR; b. Minimal useful vision and elevated intraocular pressure, OR; c. Have no visual potential and need pain relief".