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Thermal Destruction of the Intraosseous Basivertebral Nerve (BVN) for Vertebrogenic Lower Back Pain: 2 Medicare contractor policies compared

2 Local Coverage Determinations in the current Medicare Coverage Database export carry the title "Thermal Destruction of the Intraosseous Basivertebral Nerve (BVN) for Vertebrogenic Lower Back Pain", between them covering 20 states and territories. 2 of them have a billing and coding article with a diagnosis list. The table below is the fastest way to see which version governs a given state and how far the versions have drifted.

QuickIntell editorial content · Legacy registry date · Review not verified

Data effective
Policies with this title
2
States covered
20
Versions with a coded article
2
Revision dates
2023-03-05 to 2026-07-15

Every version by contractor

Open a version for its full policy text, contracts, codes and related NCDs. Covered codes are the count of ICD-10-CM codes in the version's billing and coding article; a dash means the export attaches no coded article.

Local Coverage Determinations titled "Thermal Destruction of the Intraosseous Basivertebral Nerve (BVN) for Vertebrogenic Lower Back Pain"
LCDContractorStatesRevisedCovered codesPolicy words
L39420Palmetto GBAAL GA NC SC TN VA WV2023-03-053902
L40302Wellpoint FederalCT DN IL MA ME MN NH NY QN RI UN VT WI2026-07-153874

How to use the comparison

Start from the state where the service is furnished and open that contractor's version; its billing and coding article carries the diagnosis codes the claims system will test. For a group that bills in several jurisdictions, the version with the smallest covered list is the safe common denominator for pre-service review, and the version with the largest list shows what documentation can support an appeal elsewhere. The L40302 version is the one most searched for this title; the LCD lookup guide explains how jurisdictions are assigned, and the LCD hub lists every topic that more than one contractor has written.

Frequently asked questions

Why are there 2 LCDs called "Thermal Destruction of the Intraosseous Basivertebral Nerve (BVN) for Vertebrogenic Lower Back Pain"?

Each Medicare Administrative Contractor writes its own Local Coverage Determination for its jurisdiction. 2 contractors publish a policy with this title covering 20 states; they often start from one contractor's text and then revise separately, so dates, criteria and diagnosis lists differ by jurisdiction.

Which "Thermal Destruction of the Intraosseous Basivertebral Nerve (BVN) for Vertebrogenic Lower Back Pain" LCD applies to my claim?

The one written by the contractor that processes the claim: the A/B MAC for the state where the service is furnished, or the DME MAC region for equipment. The table lists each policy's states; open the policy for that jurisdiction and its billing and coding article.

How different are the diagnosis lists?

Among the 2 versions with a billing and coding article, the covered ICD-10-CM list ranges from 3 to 3 codes. A diagnosis accepted under one contractor can deny under another, which is the most common cause of coverage denials for multi-state groups.

When were these policies last revised?

Revision effective dates run from 2023-03-05 to 2026-07-15. A claim is judged against the version in force on the date of 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.

Disclaimer

Policy metadata and code counts 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. Not legal, clinical or billing advice.