ACR Fights Restrictive Medicare Chronic Pain Treatment LCDs

ACR® joined a multisociety initiative opposing proposed Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) that would significantly restrict Medicare coverage for peripheral nerve blocks and related procedures used to treat chronic pain.

These LCD policies threaten patient access to evidence-based, opioid-sparing treatments and contradict federal efforts to reduce opioid reliance.

ACR co-signed letters submitted by the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) and the Multisociety Pain Workgroup (MPW) to five Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), urging them to rescind the proposed LCDs. 

“Restrictive LCDs risk undermining CMS’s opioid reduction goals by eliminating access to proven non-opioid therapies,” the letters state. The ACR Contractor Advisory Committee Network and the Commission on Interventional and Cardiovascular Imaging have reviewed the proposals and voiced opposition.

Key concerns include:

• Opioid Reduction: Blocking access to non-opioid therapies could increase opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries.
• Evidence-Based Care: Peripheral nerve blocks are supported by decades of clinical research and multisociety guidelines.
• Patient Impact: Limiting these procedures may lead to higher healthcare costs and reduced quality of life.

For more information, contact Alicia Blakey, ACR Principal Economic Policy Analyst.