Mammoplasty denials: 53.6% overturned by independent reviewers
In 28 California IMR decisions from 2002 to 2018, reviewers overturned the plan 15 times (53.6%). Denials reach IMR only when a member appeals all the way; read the caveats below before generalising.
By diagnosis
| Diagnosis category | Decisions | Overturned | Last 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| OB-GYN/ Pregnancy | 16 | 62.5% | — |
What the findings mention
| What the findings mention | Decisions | Overturned | All decisions here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Records did not supportThe findings say the documentation did not show what was needed (usually an upheld denial). | 5 | 0.0% | 53.6% |
| Published evidence citedThe findings refer to peer-reviewed or published evidence. | 3 | 100.0% | 53.6% |
Keyword matches on the reviewer’s findings, not causes. A tag that appears mostly in overturned decisions is worth documenting in an appeal; it is not a guarantee.
From recent overturned decisions
“Nature of Statutory Criteria/Case Summary: An enrollee has requested authorization and coverage for mastoplexy and fat grafting. The Health Plan has denied this request indicating that the requested services are not medically necessary and are not reconstructive in nature for treatment of the enrollee’s medical condition.There is support in the medical literature for the services at issue in this clinical …”
“Nature of Statutory Criteria/Case Summary: A patient has requested authorization and coverage for reduction mammoplasty. The Health Plan has denied this request indicating that the requested services are not medically necessary for treatment of the patient’s macromastia and are not reconstructive in nature. This patient has well-documented chronic back and neck pain as well as shoulder grooving. This has significantly …”
“Nature of Statutory Criteria/Case Summary: An enrollee has requested the surgical procedure, reduction mammoplasty for treatment of her macromastia. Findings: The physician reviewer found that review of the submitted documentation and relevant literature demonstrates the medical necessity of the requested surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s (ASPS) guidelines “Based on the results of Level I and II …”
- California only: these are decisions by independent reviewers under California's IMR program (plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care). Other states and self-funded employer plans use different reviewers and rules.
- Selection: only denials that a member took all the way to IMR appear. Most denials are never appealed, and the ones that reach an external reviewer are not a random sample.
- Overturned means the reviewer disagreed with the plan; it does not mean the treatment worked or that a similar request will be approved.
- Argument tags are keyword matches on the reviewer's findings. They describe what the findings mention, not why the case was decided.
- Categories are DMHC's own labels (treatment sub-category and diagnosis category); 'Other' is a catch-all and is excluded from rankings.
Source: California Department of Managed Health Care, Independent Medical Review (IMR) Determinations, Trend (CHHS Open Data). Public California government data; Apellica's aggregates and tags are CC BY 4.0.
Questions
How often were Mammoplasty denials overturned?
In 28 California IMR decisions from 2002 to 2018, reviewers overturned the plan 15 times (53.6%).
What did the reviewers' findings mention in overturned cases?
The table on this page counts keyword matches in the findings: prior therapies tried, contraindications, guidelines cited, published evidence, whether the records supported the request. They describe what the findings say, not why the case was decided.
Does a California IMR result apply to my plan?
Only California plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care go to IMR. Other states and self-funded employer plans use different reviewers, but the reasoning is the same kind: criteria, documentation and alternatives. Use the findings as a guide to what to document.
Related: California appeal rights · California external-review reversal rate · The levers library · CSV
Independent reviewers reverse plans when the record answers the criteria. Upload the denial letter; a senior reviewer reads it within 24 hours and tells you in writing whether it can be appealed and how. $0 upfront, 10% of what is recovered, nothing if we do not recover. Not a law firm.