Actions Taken by the Medical Advisory Panel at the February 2009 Teleconference

The following Assessment and Special Report were acted on at the February 18, 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) teleconference:

Artificial Intervertebral Disc Arthroplasty for Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine

The Medical Advisory Panel concluded that: 

• artificial intervertebral disc arthroplasty for the treatment of patients with cervical degenerative disc disease does not meet the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center (TEC) criteria.

Special Report: Cost Effectiveness of Contrast-Enhanced Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography for Coronary Artery Evaluation in Patients with Chest Pain

The Medical Advisory Panel voted to approve the conclusions and publication of this draft analysis.

The MAP voted to table the Special Report topic "Critical Appraisal of CT Colonography Cost-Effectiveness Analyses," pending further revision, review by a Panel subgroup, and electronic vote by the entire Panel.