Clinical UM Guideline |
Subject: Custodial Care | |
Guideline #: CG-MED-19 | Publish Date: 01/03/2024 |
Status: Revised | Last Review Date: 11/09/2023 |
Description |
This document defines custodial care, a type of care that generally provides assistance in performing activities of daily living (ADL); for example, assistance walking, transferring in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, preparation of food, feeding and supervision of medication that usually can be self-administered. Custodial care essentially is personal care that does not require the continuing attention of trained medical or paramedical personnel.
Note: Please see the following related documents for additional information:
Clinical Indications |
Care that does not meet the criteria for skilled nursing or skilled rehabilitation services is considered custodial.
Note: Not all benefit contracts/certificates include benefits for custodial services as defined by this document. Benefit language supersedes this document.
Definition of Custodial Care:
Note: Custodial care may occur in settings other than the home.
Examples of Custodial Care, include, but are not limited to, the following:
Coding |
Coding edits for medical necessity review are not implemented for this guideline. Where a more specific policy or guideline exists, that document will take precedence and may include specific coding edits and/or instructions. Inclusion or exclusion of a procedure, diagnosis or device code(s) does not constitute or imply member coverage or provider reimbursement policy. Please refer to the member's contract benefits in effect at the time of service to determine coverage or non-coverage of these services as it applies to an individual member.
Discussion/General Information |
Institutional care that is below the level of care covered in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) is custodial care. Some examples of custodial care in hospitals and SNFs include, but are not limited to:
Definitions |
Acute Medical Event (includes behavioral health events): A relatively abrupt change in condition that requires medical services, intervention(s) intended to arrest and, hopefully, reverse the condition or conditions. Stabilization can be associated with limited ability to meet basic needs, which are addressed with custodial care.
Cardiac Disorder: Condition(s) that affect heart structures or function such as: coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, congenital heart disease, vascular disease or heart valve disease.
Serious Mental Illness: A mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in a serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. (National Institute of Mental Health [NHMH], 2023).
References |
Government Agency, Medical Society, and Other Authoritative Publications:
Websites for Additional Information |
History |
Status | Date | Action |
Revised | 11/09/2023 | Medical Policy & Technology Assessment Committee (MPTAC) review. Revised Clinical Indications section by changing “severe and persistent mental illness” to “serious mental illness”. Reformatted bullets to alphanumeric. Updated Discussion/General Information, Definitions, References, and Websites for Additional Information sections. |
Reviewed | 11/10/2022 | MPTAC review. Discussion, References, and Websites sections updated. |
Reviewed | 11/11/2021 | MPTAC review. References and Websites sections updated. |
Reviewed | 11/05/2020 | MPTAC review. References and Websites sections updated. |
Reviewed | 11/07/2019 | MPTAC review. References and Websites sections updated. |
Reviewed | 11/08/2018 | MPTAC review. References and Websites sections updated. |
Reviewed | 02/27/2018 | MPTAC review. Updated header language from “Current Effective Date” to “Publish Date. References section updated. |
Revised | 02/02/2017 | MPTAC review. Note added to Clinical Indications section. Definition of custodial care updated. Examples of custodial care updated in Clinical Indications and Discussion/General Information sections. Definition and Websites for Additional Information sections added. |
Reviewed | 02/04/2016 | MPTAC review. References section updated. |
Reviewed | 02/05/2015 | MPTAC review. Description and References sections updated. |
Reviewed | 02/13/2014 | MPTAC review. Reference links updated. |
Reviewed | 02/14/2013 | MPTAC review. Reference links updated. |
Reviewed | 02/16/2012 | MPTAC review. Reference links updated. |
Revised | 02/17/2011 | MPTAC review. Definition of custodial care and examples of custodial care updated in the Clinical Indication section. Discussion and Reference links updated. |
Reviewed | 02/25/2010 | MPTAC review. Custodial care examples for stable bolus feeding and chronic uncomplicated oral or tracheal suctioning clarified. Place of Service section removed. References updated. |
| 06/23/2009 | Removed CG-MED-25 Hospice, Inpatient Setting from note referring to related documents as CG MED-25 has been archived. |
Reviewed | 02/26/2009 | MPTAC review. References updated. Note under description updated with additional related document. Removed case management section. |
Reviewed | 02/21/2008 | MPTAC review. Note added under description referring to other documents for additional information. References updated. |
Reviewed | 03/08/2007 | MPTAC review. References updated. |
Revised | 03/23/2006 | MPTAC review. Referenced Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation clinical guideline and aligned definition of custodial care on both documents. |
Revised | 12/01/2005 | MPTAC review. Revision based on Pre-merger Anthem and Pre-merger WellPoint Harmonization. |
Pre-Merger Organizations | Last Review Date | Document Number | Title |
Anthem, Inc. |
| None |
|
Anthem Mid West | 02/11/2005 | MA-020 | Skilled Nursing Facility Setting, Skilled and Custodial Services Defined |
Anthem Mid West | 02/11/2005 | MA-021 | Home Health Care Setting, Skilled and Custodial Services Defined for NASCO use only |
WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. | 06/24/2004 | Definitions | Custodial Care |
Federal and State law, as well as contract language, and Medical Policy take precedence over Clinical UM Guidelines. We reserve the right to review and update Clinical UM Guidelines periodically. Clinical guidelines approved by the Medical Policy & Technology Assessment Committee are available for general adoption by plans or lines of business for consistent review of the medical necessity of services related to the clinical guideline when the plan performs utilization review for the subject. Due to variances in utilization patterns, each plan may choose whether to adopt a particular Clinical UM Guideline. To determine if review is required for this Clinical UM Guideline, please contact the customer service number on the member's card.
Alternatively, commercial or FEP plans or lines of business which determine there is not a need to adopt the guideline to review services generally across all providers delivering services to Plan's or line of business's members may instead use the clinical guideline for provider education and/or to review the medical necessity of services for any provider who has been notified that his/her/its claims will be reviewed for medical necessity due to billing practices or claims that are not consistent with other providers, in terms of frequency or in some other manner.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without permission from the health plan.
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