Medicare local coverage
Medicare coverage for Lumbar MRI (LCD)
One Medicare Administrative Contractor, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, publishes a local coverage determination (LCD) for Lumbar MRI. The snapshot lists 2 LCD records: 1 active, 1 retired.
An LCD applies only in the jurisdiction of the contractor that wrote it. Two contractors can cover the same service with different criteria, documentation requirements and covered diagnoses, so check the LCD from the contractor that processes your claims.
LCDs by contractor
| Contractor | LCD | Status | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLCMAC - Part A, MAC - Part B | L37281 | Retired Oct 23, 2025 | Oct 23, 2025 |
Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLCMAC - Part A, MAC - Part B | L34220 | Active | Oct 14, 2025 |
An LCD marked Future has been finalized and is in its notice period; it applies from the effective date shown. LCD IDs link to the record on cms.gov.
Billing and coding articles
The codes live in the billing and coding article that goes with each LCD: the CPT and HCPCS codes the policy applies to, the ICD-10 codes that support medical necessity, and any modifier or documentation rules.
- A57206Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLCUpdated Sep 21, 2026
- A57207Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLCUpdated Oct 23, 2025
CMS also lists 2 response-to-comments articles for this topic, where contractors answer public comments on the proposed LCD: A56017, A56018.
Check claim lines against Medicare coverage
Coverage Check tells you whether a claim's diagnoses support Medicare LCD or NCD coverage for each procedure line, and shows the policy and CMS source behind each answer.
Related LCD topics
- Breast Imaging Mammography/Breast Echography (Sonography)/Breast MRI/Ductography
- Breast Imaging: Breast Echography (Sonography)/Breast MRI/Ductography
- Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement
- Lumbar Spinal Fusion
- MRI and CT Scans of the Head and Neck
All Medicare LCD topics · National coverage determinations · Payer policies by payer
Source: CMS Medicare Coverage Database, via the public CMS Coverage API, snapshot Oct 25, 2026. LCDs change between snapshots; confirm the version in effect for your date of service on cms.gov before billing.