A Medicare patient receives a service covered under a National Coverage Determination, and the regional MAC also publishes an LCD with additional coverage details for the same service. How should the physician coder apply these sources?

National Coverage Determinations establish Medicare coverage policy nationwide. Medicare Administrative Contractor LCDs and related articles add jurisdiction-specific coverage criteria consistent with national policy. Coders research both: the NCD for national coverage status and the applicable LCD for local indications, coding, and documentation expectations on the professional claim.