Sept. 24, 2026

Five Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) released final Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for peripheral nerve injections and procedures for chronic pain. The final LCDs follow a comment process that began with proposed policies released in September 2025.

ACR® tracked this clinical topic since November and submitted comments during the LCD development process. The College’s feedback was acknowledged in the MACs’ Response to Comments article, which summarizes stakeholder input and policy revisions made before finalization.

The final policies include several changes from the original proposals, reflecting feedback from physician organizations and other stakeholders. MACs reviewed comments and supporting evidence before issuing the finalized coverage criteria.

The policies will take effect by the end of October. ACR will continue to monitor implementation of the new LCDs and assess their impact on patient access, clinical practice and Medicare coverage policies.

For more information, contact Alicia Blakey, ACR Manager of Economic Policy.

Loading component...