What is a Local Coverage Determination (LCD)?

• A. A policy created by a Medicare Administrative Contractor that specifies coverage for a particular region or MAC's jurisdiction.
• B. A national CMS mandate on coverage.
• C. A policy decided by hospitals to determine coverage.
• D. A policy decided by CMS on per-state basis.

Answer: (A)

Local Coverage Determination (LCD) refers to a policy created by a Medicare Administrative Contractor to specify whether a service, procedure, device, or test is covered within a specific geographic region. Because MACs oversee Medicare in defined areas, their LCD applies only in that region or jurisdiction, allowing coverage decisions to reflect local practice patterns and circumstances while still aligning with broader national guidance.

This is distinct from nationwide CMS rules, which are National Coverage Determinations that apply across the entire program. LCDs aren’t decided by hospitals, and they aren’t set on a per-state basis by CMS. Instead, they are region-specific policies issued by the MACs that administer Medicare in their own jurisdictions. For example, a MAC in one region might determine that a particular imaging test is covered only when certain clinical criteria are met, and that decision would apply only within that region.