2025 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:

Placement Criteria

Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS)
Used to evaluate behavioral health treatment requests for adults age 19+ years.

LOCUS Guide for Patients and Families

LOCUS Levels of Care

LOCUS Evaluation Parameters


Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS)
Used to evaluate mental health treatment requests for children and adolescents ages 6-18 years.

CALOCUS Levels of Care

CALOCUS Evaluation Parameters


Early Childhood Service Intensity Instrument (ECSII)
Used to evaluate mental health treatment requests for infants, toddlers and children ages birth through 5 years.

ECSII Guide for Patients, Families, and Providers


ASAM Criteria
Used to evaluate substance use disorder service and treatment requests.

ASAM Criteria



Medical Policies

2024 Lucet Medical Policies (and related documents)
Apply to the following treatments and services, as applicable.

2024 Lucet – ABA for Treatment of ASD

2024 Lucet – ABA for Treatment of ASD for Federal Employee program (FEP) members

2024 Lucet – ABA for the Treatment of Down Syndrome

2024 Lucet – TMS for Treatment of Resistant Depression

2024 Lucet – ECT

2024 Lucet – PNT Criteria

2024 Lucet – 23-Hour Observation


2024 Health Plan Medical Policies
Lucet is required to utilize some medical policies produced by our health plan clients.

BCBS Arkansas #2011053 – Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children, Applied Behavioral Analysis

BCBS Arkansas #2003055 – Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Treatment of Depression and Other Psychiatric Disorders

BCBS Arkansas #2023005 – Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults, Applied Behavioral Analysis

BCBS Arkansas / Walmart #1028 – Autism Spectrum Disorder, Applied Behavior Analysis

BCBS Arkansas / Walmart #542 – Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a Treatment of Depression and Other Psychiatric/Neurologic Disorders

BCBS Louisiana #00121 – Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Treatment of Depresion and Other Psychiatric/Neurologic Disorders


Medicare National Coverage Determinations (NCD) & Local Coverage Determinations (LCD)

Lucet is required to utilize some Medicare National Coverage Determinations (NCD) & Local Coverage Determinations (LCD) policies. NCD and LCD information is available at: MCD Search (cms.gov).

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.

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.

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