2023 Medical Necessity Criteria
Lucet Health (Lucet) utilizes medical necessity criteria to make medical necessity determinations. The medical necessity criteria set applied varies according to the behavioral health service being requested. To determine which criteria set will be used, please refer to the list below:
- Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS) will be used to evaluate behavioral health treatment requests for adults age 19+ years
- Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS) will be used to evaluate mental health treatment requests for children and adolescents ages 6-18 years.
- Early Childhood Service Intensity Instrument (ECSII) will be used to evaluate mental health treatment requests for infants, toddlers and children ages birth through 5 years.
- ASAM Criteria will be used to evaluate substance use disorder service and treatment requests
- Lucet medical policies apply to the following treatments and services, as applicable:
- Applied Behavior Analysis for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ABA for ASD)
- Applied Behavior Analysis for the Treatment of Down Syndrome (ABA for DS)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Psychological/Neuropsychological Testing (PNT)
- 23-Hour Observation
LOCUS was developed by the American Association of Community Psychiatrists (AACP). CALOCUS was developed by AACP in collaboration with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Both are maintained by Deerfield Solutions, LLC. ECSII was developed by AACAP. The ASAM Criteria was developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Lucet administers each benefit as designed by the health plan and set out in the member’s benefit agreement. The presence of a specific level of care criteria within a criteria set does not constitute the existence of a specific benefit. Providers and facilities should verify the member’s available benefits online when available, or by contacting the applicable Customer Service department.
For more information about LOCUS, CALOCUS, ECSII and ASAM, please review the following material:
Copyright 2015 by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Reprinted with permission. No third party may copy this document in whole or in part in any format or medium without the prior written consent of ASAM.