CurrentCignaPolicy 0576

Radiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence

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This policy addresses coverage of transanal radiofrequency therapy for fecal incontinence, including the SECCA procedure and SECCA System, under Cigna-administered health benefit plans.

Policy Summary

PayerCigna

PolicyRadiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence

Policy CodePolicy 0576

Change TypeNo material change

Effective DateOct 15, 2026

Next Review DateOct 15, 2027

Key ActionSubmit the service using the most appropriate codes in effect on the submission date and include applicable covered diagnosis and procedure codes.

SourceLink

POLICY UPDATE CHANGES

No material clinical or coverage changes in this revision.

Experimental/unprovenCoverage stance

46999Therapy code

47Clinical trials

3,748Study participants

30–45 min

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CurrentCignaPolicy 0576

Radiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for Cigna Policy 0576 alerts

Get alerted when Policy 0576 changes without checking for updates manually.

Monitor payer policy activity

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This policy addresses coverage of transanal radiofrequency therapy for fecal incontinence, including the SECCA procedure and SECCA System, under Cigna-administered health benefit plans.

Policy Summary

PayerCigna

PolicyRadiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence

Policy CodePolicy 0576

Change TypeNo material change

Effective DateOct 15, 2026

Next Review DateOct 15, 2027

Key ActionSubmit the service using the most appropriate codes in effect on the submission date and include applicable covered diagnosis and procedure codes.

SourceLink

POLICY UPDATE CHANGES

No material clinical or coverage changes in this revision.

Experimental/unprovenCoverage stance

46999Therapy code

47Clinical trials

3,748Study participants

30–45 min

Radiofrequency Therapy Coverage Criteria

Radiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence

Radiofrequency therapy for fecal incontinence is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven and is not covered under this policy.

Experimental, investigational, or unproven: Radiofrequency therapy for fecal incontinence is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven and therefore is not covered under this policy.

Applies to transanal radiofrequency therapy, including the SECCA procedure and SECCA System.

Applicable Coding

Considered Experimental/Investigational/UnprovenCPTExperimental

46999

Unlisted procedure, anus

Device and FDA Product Identifiersmixed

K014216	SECCA™ SYSTEM device identifier
GEI	FDA product code

Provider and Billing Actions

Billing Rule

Use current and applicable coding

Submit the service using the most appropriate codes in effect on the date of submission and include applicable covered diagnosis and procedure codes.

Denial Risk

Experimental or unproven therapy

Radiofrequency therapy for fecal incontinence, including transanal therapy such as the SECCA procedure, is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven and is not covered under this policy.

Denial Risk

Missing covered codes

Claims may be denied when the requested service is submitted without covered diagnosis or procedure codes applicable to the policy.

Clinical Background

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control passage of gas, liquid, or solid stool because of impaired coordination of the muscles and/or nerves of the rectum, anal canal, and pelvic floor. It may be treated with medical or surgical approaches; transanal radiofrequency therapy, such as the SECCA procedure, has been proposed for patients who do not respond to medical therapy, are not good surgical candidates, or have failed surgical intervention.

Transanal radiofrequency therapy delivers temperature-controlled energy to the anal sphincters through an anoscopic device, creating submucosal lesions intended to promote collagen contraction and tissue remodeling. The procedure is typically performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia and sedation and generally takes 30–45 minutes. Although early studies reported symptomatic improvement, the policy identifies insufficient high-quality evidence, limited long-term durability, minimal benefit over sham treatment, and a lack of consistent comparative effectiveness.

Key Definitions

Fecal incontinence

DefinitionInability to control the passage of gas, liquid, and/or solid feces due to loss of coordinated function of the muscles and/or nerves of the rectum, anal canal, and pelvic floor.

Transanal radiofrequency therapy

DefinitionA transanal procedure that uses temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy delivered through electrodes to create precise submucosal lesions in the anal sphincter, triggering collagen contraction and tissue remodeling.