All terms
ReimbursementHospital Buyer & Reimbursement
LCD and NCD
Local and National Coverage Determinations from Medicare.
Reviewed by Christian Espinosa, Founder, Blue Goat CyberLast reviewed May 5, 2026
Definition
A National Coverage Determination (NCD) is a Medicare-wide policy on whether and under what conditions an item or service is covered. A Local Coverage Determination (LCD) is issued by a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for its jurisdiction.What this means in practice
Coverage typically begins as LCD policy via one or more MACs; pivotal NCDs (e.g., TAVR, TCAR, TMVR) define the national clinical-evidence and facility/operator standards.Primary references
3 sourcesLink health: 1 verified 2 needs review· last checked 2026-05-09
CMS·2AdvaMed·1
- 1
CMS CoverageNeeds reviewCMScms.gov
- 2
AdvaMed - Payment & CoverageVerifiedAdvaMedadvamed.org
- 3
CMS - CodingNeeds reviewCMScms.gov
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