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NCD 10.2 · version 2

NCD 10.2: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Acute Post-Operative Pain

Reviewed by QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Last reviewed

Data effective
Data currency: Medicare Coverage Database release of September 24, 2026 (effective September 20, 2026). Next CMS release: weekly (every Thursday) for the MCD; quarterly for lab NCD code lists.

Key facts for NCD 10.2

Benefit category
Incident to a physician's professional Service, Inpatient Hospital Services, Outpatient Hospital Services Incident to a Physician's Service
Effective date
06/08/2012
Implemented 01/07/2013
Transmittal
Transmittal 149
Versions published
2
Manual chapter
10
NCD Manual (Pub. 100-03)

TL;DR

NCD 10.2 sets Medicare's national policy for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (tens) for acute post-operative pain under the benefit category "Incident to a physician's professional Service, Inpatient Hospital Services, Outpatient Hospital Services Incident to a Physician's Service", effective 06/08/2012 and implemented 01/07/2013. The use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the relief of acute post-operative pain is covered under Medicare. TENS may be covered whether used as an adjunct to the use of drugs, or as an alternative to drugs, in the treatment of acute… It has been revised 1 time since publication and binds every Medicare Administrative Contractor nationally.

Indications and limitations of coverage

The use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the relief of acute post-operative pain is covered under Medicare. TENS may be covered whether used as an adjunct to the use of drugs, or as an alternative to drugs, in the treatment of acute pain resulting from surgery.

The TENS devices, whether durable or disposable, may be used in furnishing this service. When used for the purpose of treating acute post-operative pain, TENS devices are considered supplies. As such they may be hospital supplies furnished inpatients covered under Part A, or supplies incident to a physician’s service when furnished in connection with surgery done on an outpatient basis, and covered under Part B.

It is expected that TENS, when used for acute post-operative pain, will be necessary for relatively short periods of time, usually 30 days or less. In cases when TENS is used for longer periods, contractors should attempt to ascertain whether TENS is no longer being used for acute pain but rather for chronic pain, in which case the TENS device may be covered as durable medical equipment as described in § 160.27 .

Text reproduced from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database record for NCD 10.2 version 2. View the original on cms.gov.

Revision history

11/2012 - (Rev.149, Issued: 11-30-12, Effective: 06-08-12, Implementation: 01-07-13)

07/1995 - Determined that TENS covered under durable medical equipment benefit rather than prosthetic device benefit. Effective date 08/07/1995. (TN 78)

How this NCD shows up on remittances

A service denied under a National Coverage Determination returns CARC 50 (not deemed medically necessary) with remark N386 (decision based on an NCD); a denial citing a local policy instead carries N115. Because NCDs bind nationally, the appeal path is documentation that the patient meets the indications above, not a contractor-policy argument.

How QuickIntell applies NCD 10.2

QuickAuth checks the ordered service and diagnosis against NCD and LCD criteria before the encounter, QuickCode validates the diagnosis pairing on the claim, and QuickRCM routes CARC 50 denials with the policy text and the covered-code list attached so the appeal starts with evidence.

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Frequently asked questions — NCD 10.2

What does NCD 10.2 cover?

The use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the relief of acute post-operative pain is covered under Medicare. TENS may be covered whether used as an adjunct to the use of drugs, or as an alternative to drugs, in the treatment of acute pain resulting from surgery. The full indications and limitations are reproduced on this page from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database.

When did NCD 10.2 take effect?

The current version (2) is effective 06/08/2012, implemented 01/07/2013, published in transmittal 149. CMS lists 2 versions of this NCD.

Does a Local Coverage Determination override NCD 10.2?

No. A National Coverage Determination binds all Medicare Administrative Contractors; an LCD can only address services or circumstances the NCD leaves open. Claims denied under this NCD typically return CARC 50 with remark N386 (NCD) rather than N115 (LCD).

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

This page reproduces the CMS National Coverage Determination text and, for laboratory NCDs, the CMS ICD-10 edit lists, as an operational reference. Coverage decisions depend on the full policy, the claim and the contractor; nothing here is legal, clinical or billing advice. CPT codes are shown as numbers only; CPT descriptors are copyright AMA.