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L.8.03.403
Hippotherapy, also referred to as equine-assisted therapy, describes a treatment strategy that uses equine movement to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes. Hippotherapy has been proposed as a therapy for patients with impaired walking or balance.
Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy has been proposed as a technique to decrease the energy requirements and improve walking in patients with cerebral palsy. It is thought that the natural swaying motion of the horse induces a pelvic movement in the rider that simulates human ambulation. Also, variations in the horse’s movements can prompt natural equilibrium movements in the rider. Hippotherapy is also being evaluated in patients with multiple sclerosis and other causes of gait disorders, such as strokes.
As a therapeutic intervention, hippotherapy is typically conducted by a physical or occupational therapist and is aimed at improving impaired body function. Therapeutic horseback riding is typically conducted by riding instructors and is more frequently intended as social therapy. It is hoped that the multisensory environment may benefit children with profound social and communication deficits, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. When considered together, hippotherapy and therapeutic riding are described as equine-assisted activities and therapies.
This policy addresses equine-assisted activities that focus on improving physical functions such as balance and gait.
Hippotherapy is considered investigational.
None
The coverage guidelines outlined in the Medical Policy Manual should not be used in lieu of the Member's specific benefit plan language.
Investigative is defined as the use of any treatment procedure, facility, equipment, drug, device, or supply not yet recognized as a generally accepted standard of good medical practice for the treatment of the condition being treated and; therefore, is not considered medically necessary. For the definition of Investigative, “generally accepted standards of medical practice” means standards that are based on credible scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community, and physician specialty society recommendations, and the views of medical practitioners practicing in relevant clinical areas and any other relevant factors. In order for equipment, devices, drugs or supplies [i.e, technologies], to be considered not investigative, the technology must have final approval from the appropriate governmental bodies, and scientific evidence must permit conclusions concerning the effect of the technology on health outcomes, and the technology must improve the net health outcome, and the technology must be as beneficial as any established alternative and the improvement must be attainable outside the testing/investigational setting.
7/21/2005: Approved by Medical Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC).
1/30/2008: Policy reviewed, no changes.
04/27/2010: Policy description expanded regarding spastic cerebral palsy and autism. Policy statement unchanged.
04/20/2011: Policy reviewed; no changes.
12/13/2011: Policy reviewed; no changes.
02/20/2013: Policy reviewed; no changes.
03/10/2014: Policy reviewed; no changes.
12/05/2014: Policy reviewed; description updated regarding hippotherapy as a therapeutic intervention. Policy statement unchanged.
07/30/2015: Code Reference section updated for ICD-10.
04/22/2016: Policy description updated. Policy statement unchanged. Investigative definition updated in policy guidelines section.
05/27/2016: Policy number A.8.03.12 added.
03/28/2017: Policy description updated. Policy statement unchanged.
04/10/2018: Policy description updated. Policy statement unchanged.
04/05/2019: Policy reviewed; no changes.
04/16/2020: Policy description updated to remove information regarding ambulation and balance disorders. Policy statement unchanged.
05/27/2021: Policy reviewed; no changes.
05/19/2022: Policy reviewed; no changes.
04/17/2023: Policy reviewed; no changes.
04/25/2024: Policy reviewed; no changes.
07/26/2024: Policy updated to change the medical policy number from "A.8.03.12" to "L.8.03.403."
03/27/2025: Policy reviewed; no changes.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association policy # 8.03.12
This may not be a comprehensive list of procedure codes applicable to this policy.
Code Number | Description |
CPT-4 | |
HCPCS | |
S8940 | Equestrian/hippotherapy, per session |
ICD-10 Procedure | |
ICD-10 Diagnosis |
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