Where this LCD applies
Each contract number is a jurisdiction on the remittance; the policy binds claims processed under these contracts and no others.
Billing and coding: diagnoses and procedure codes
Since 2019 the codes live in the companion article rather than the LCD. Billing and Coding A55769 (Billing and Coding: Lab: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)) carries the diagnosis and procedure lists the contractor loads as the claims edit. CPT codes are shown as bare numbers because the descriptors are licensed by the AMA; HCPCS Level II descriptors are public and shown.
A55769: Billing and Coding: Lab: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) (Billing and Coding, effective 2025-10-16)
- Covered ICD-10-CM codes
- 0
- 0 groups
- Non-covered ICD-10-CM codes
- 0
- Procedure codes listed
- 1
- Full article
- cms.gov record
Procedure codes: 82542.
Coverage indications, limitations and medical necessity
This is a non-coverage policy for serum or other body fluid testing for levels of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 or Q10), also known as ubiquinone, ubidecarenone, coenzyme Q, for all diseases. Q10 supplementation is purported to:
• Prolong life and prevent age-related functional declines
• Inhibit the development and/or progression of atherosclerosis
• Have value as an adjunct to conventional medical therapy in the treatment of congestive heart failure, conventional angina therapy, and cancer
• Is protective against myocardial damage during ischemia-reperfusion during cardiac surgery
• Is beneficial in the treatment of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes
• Plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia
• Enhance athletic performance
• Enhance fertility
However, scientific indications for Q10 supplementation, except as anecdotally reported for rare mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, are poor and/or controversial, as are indications for Q10 testing by any methodology.
Q10 is a highly lipophilic molecule with a chemical structure similar to vitamin K. Its most prominent role is to facilitate the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the mitochondria by participating in redox reactions within the electron transport chain. Two major factors lead to deficiency of Q10 in humans: reduced biosynthesis and increased use by the body. As many as 12 genes control biosynthesis; Q10 levels may also be controlled by other genetic defects not directly related to Q10 biosynthesis.
Summary of evidence (opening)
Heart disease
Q10 shares a biosynthetic pathway with cholesterol. An intermediary precursor of Q10 is inhibited by some beta blockers, antihypertensive medications and statins, but the role of statins in deficiencies is controversial. 1
Some chronic disease conditions (cancer, heart disease, etc.) are also thought to reduce the biosynthesis of and increase the demand for CoQ10 in the body, but there is no definite data to support these claims. 2 A 2014 Cochrane Collaboration meta-analysis found "no convincing evidence to support or refute" the use of CoQ10 for the treatment of heart failure. 3 Evidence with respect to preventing heart disease in those who are otherwise healthy is also poor. 4
Statin myopathy
the full summary and analysis of evidence are in the CMS record.
Dates, lineage and related policies
- Original determination effective
- 2017-10-02
- Current revision effective
- 2025-10-16
- Last reviewed by the contractor
- 2021-03-02
- MCD version
- 31
Using this policy on a claim
Match the documented indication to the covered indications above before the service is scheduled, carry a diagnosis from the article's covered list on the claim line, and keep the elements the documentation section asks for in the record, because the contractor can request it later through medical review. A denial under this policy arrives as CARC 50 with remark N115; the LCD lookup guide walks through the appeal path and the Advance Beneficiary Notice rules, and the Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC hub lists every other active policy from the same contractor.
The same policy title at other contractors
Contractors often adopt each other's policies and then revise them separately, so the criteria and the diagnosis lists drift apart. The topic comparison lines up every version.
Frequently asked questions
What does LCD L37066 cover?
• Have value as an adjunct to conventional medical therapy in the treatment of congestive heart failure, conventional angina therapy, and cancer The full indications and limitations are reproduced on this page from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database export of September 24, 2026.
Which states does LCD L37066 apply to?
Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC applies it to Medicare claims in AK, AS, AZ, CA, CNMI, GU, HI, ID, MT, ND, NF, NV, OR, SD, SF, UT, WA, WY. A Local Coverage Determination binds only the contractor that wrote it; the same service in another jurisdiction is judged under that contractor's own policy or, where none exists, claim by claim.
Which diagnosis codes support medical necessity under LCD L37066?
The current export links no billing and coding article with a diagnosis list to this LCD, so coverage is decided on the indications in the policy text and the documentation in the record rather than by an automated diagnosis edit.
How do I appeal a denial under LCD L37066?
The remittance carries claim adjustment reason code 50 with remark code N115, naming the LCD. Compare the documented indication with the policy's covered indications and the article's diagnosis list, then file a redetermination within 120 days with the record attached; if the service genuinely falls outside the policy, the patient can be billed only when a valid Advance Beneficiary Notice was obtained before the service.
Sources
Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-02. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions.
- Medicare Coverage Database, current LCD exportVersion MCD release 2026-09-24 · effective 2026-09-20 · file lcd.csvSHA-256 2fcc4251b6ddd1eb…
- Medicare Coverage Database, current Billing and Coding Articles exportVersion MCD release 2026-09-24 · effective 2026-09-20 · file article.csvSHA-256 f31932f1df3b4035…
- ICD-10-CM FY2027 code descriptionsVersion FY2027 · effective 2026-10-01 · file icd10cm_codes_2027.txtSHA-256 3c0583a38ee0e848…
Disclaimer
The policy text and code lists are reproduced from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database export as an operational reference. Verify against the current LCD and article on cms.gov before billing; coverage depends on the full record and the contractor. Not legal, clinical or billing advice.