This section of the Medical Policy Reference Manual includes medical policies pertaining to therapy.

Medical policies in this section encompass the therapy services of inhalation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or radiation therapy, dialysis treatments, physical rehabilitative therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and manipulations.

Chemotherapy involves the treatment of malignant diseases by biological or chemical antineoplastic agents.

Radiotherapy or radiation therapy involves the treatment of disease by radium or radioactive isotopes.

Respiratory therapy involves the diagnosis, assessment, exercises, testing, therapy, and treatment of breathing and respiratory diseases, disorders, and conditions through the administration of oxygen, drugs, and other gases through inhalation or positive pressure. Therapy may include the use of respirators, mechanical ventilators, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators.

Cardiac rehabilitation involves the process by which individuals are restored to a functional status after a cardiac event.

Manipulation, the forceful passive movement of a joint beyond its active limit of motion is intended to correct by mechanical or manual means, structural imbalance or subluxation. Specific subsections are indicated for dialysis and physical rehabilitation therapies.