71271 CPT® code: payer coverage and prior authorization36 of 37 payer prior-auth lists that name 71271 require prior authorization or set conditions: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, HealthSpring, Molina Complete Care (Virginia), Molina Healthcare of Arizona, Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida, Molina Healthcare of Idaho, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, Molina Healthcare of South Carolina, Molina Healthcare of Utah, Molina Healthcare of Washington, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, Molina Healthcare, Inc. (national grid), Oxford Health Plans, and others.
| Payer | Plan | State | Prior auth | Conditions | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | AZ Blue-administered Medicare Advantage (M2K) | AZ | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (Effective 09/01/2026) | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | Federal Employee Program (FEP) | AZ | prior auth under conditions | FEP Blue Focus only | Sep 1, 2026 | Federal Employee Program (FEP) Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (Updated 09/01/2026) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | Standard PA code list (most commercial plans) | AZ | prior auth under conditions | eviCore-delegated groups only; Gold-card eligible | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Standard Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | State of Arizona employee group (SYD, S3Z) | AZ | prior auth required | Gold-card eligible | Sep 1, 2026 | State of Arizona Group Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage | All | prior auth required | Not required for Student Health or Allina Health | Aetna plans; Not required inpatient, in the ER or in observation | Oct 1, 2026 | Participating provider precertification list for Aetna® |
| Aetna | Commercial | All | prior auth required | Not required for Student Health or Allina Health | Aetna plans; Not required inpatient, in the ER or in observation | Oct 1, 2026 | Participating provider precertification list for Aetna® |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community Health Plans (BCCHP), Illinois Medicaid | IL | prior auth required | Carelon-managed | Aug 1, 2025 | Illinois Medicaid Prior Authorization Code List, Effective 10/1/2026 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community MMAI (Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative) | IL | prior auth required | eviCore-managed | Apr 1, 2021 | Procedure Code List, Effective 1/1/2025 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | Turquoise Care (New Mexico Medicaid) | NM | prior auth required | Carelon-managed | Jan 1, 2021 | New Mexico Medicaid Benefit Preauthorization Procedure Code List 10/1/26 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | Texas PA exemption (gold card), outpatient, fully insured | TX | prior auth required | Gold-card exemption available | Jul 1, 2026 | BCBSTX Outpatient Prior Authorization Exemption Clinical Guidelines (max units, PA exempt date range) |
| HealthSpring | Medicare Advantage | All | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2025 | 2026 Q4 Prior Authorization List | |
| Molina Complete Care (Virginia) | Medicare-only PA matrix for D-SNP | VA | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2022 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Virginia), effective Q1 2022 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Arizona | Medicare-only PA matrix for D-SNP | AZ | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2022 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Arizona), effective Q1 2022 | |
| Molina Healthcare of California | Medicare Advantage | CA | prior auth required | Jul 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (California), effective Q3 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Florida | Medicare Advantage | FL | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Florida), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Idaho | Medicare Advantage | ID | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Idaho), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Michigan | Exchange | MI | prior auth required | Contact eviCore for PA | Jul 1, 2021 | Molina Healthcare of Michigan PA Matrix, effective 7/1/2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Nevada | Medicaid | NV | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2022 | Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix, effective Q4 2022 | |
| Molina Healthcare of New Mexico | Medicare Advantage | NM | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (New Mexico), effective Q1 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of South Carolina | Medicare Advantage | SC | prior auth required | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (South Carolina), effective Q2 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Utah | Medicare Advantage | UT | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Utah), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Washington | Medicare Advantage | WA | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Washington), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin | Medicare Advantage | WI | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Wisconsin), effective Q4 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. (national grid) | Molina national (MHI) Medicare grid | All | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (national), effective Q4 2021 | |
| Oxford Health Plans | Oxford Health Plans | All | prior auth required | site of care: site of service reviewed | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior Authorization Requirements for Oxford Effective October 1, 2026 |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Health Plans CHP+ | CO | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Plan - prior authorization Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Health Plans Prime / RAE | CO | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Rocky Mountain Health Plans PRIME Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Medicare Advantage D-SNP | CO | prior auth required | Feb 1, 2025 | Rocky Mountain Health Plans Medicare Advantage Dual-Special Needs Plans – prior authorization Effective February 1, 2025 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | UnitedHealthcare Complete (Individual & Family plans) | All | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Complete Effective September 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plans | All | prior auth required | site of care: site of service reviewed | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plans Effective October 1, 2026 |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | North Carolina Medicaid | NC | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina Effective October 1, 2026 July 1, 2024 | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | TennCare | TN | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas CHIP | TX | prior auth required | Aug 1, 2024 | Prior authorization requirements for Texas CHIP Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Texas CHIP health care | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR | TX | prior auth required | Aug 1, 2024 | Prior authorization requirements for Texas STAR Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization review requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas STAR h | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR Kids | TX | prior auth required | Aug 1, 2024 | Prior authorization requirements for STAR Kids Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization review requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas STAR Ki | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR+PLUS | TX | prior auth required | Aug 1, 2024 | Prior authorization requirements for STAR+Plus Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan STAR+PLUS health care p |
71271 appears in 7 coverage policies from Aetna, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Premera Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare.
| Payer | Policy | Role in policy | Reviewed | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Lung Cancer Screening (0380) | listed, no stance | May 28, 2026 | payer document |
| Aetna | Lung Imaging: Selected Techniques (0581) | listed, no stance | Sep 10, 2026 | payer document |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi | Screening For Lung Cancer Using Computed Tomography Ct Scanning (L.2.01.411) | covered if criteria are met | payer document | |
| BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | Low-Dose CT for Lung Cancer Screening (CAM 391) | listed, no stance | Jan 1, 2026 | payer document |
| Premera Blue Cross | Preventive Care Lung cancer screening (CT scan) for those at higher risk | covered if criteria are met | Sep 21, 2026 | payer document |
| UnitedHealthcare | Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) Scan – Site of Service (MP.13.20) Computed Tomography | listed, no stance | Sep 1, 2026 | payer document |
| UnitedHealthcare | Outpatient Radiology Procedures for EviCore Arrangement (for Oxford Only) (RADIOLOGY) Dates of Service | listed, no stance | Sep 1, 2026 | payer document |
Prior authorization required or conditional in CO, FL, MS, WA, WV.
From payers' published prior-auth lists, coverage policies and state Medicaid fee schedules, updated Oct 16, 2026. The role is what the policy's own code table or text says about the code. Not a guarantee of coverage or payment; verify with the payer. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.