Key facts for NCD 110.17
- Benefit category
- Incident to a physician's professional Service
- Effective date
- 02/25/2026
- Implemented 10/05/2026
- Transmittal
- Transmittal 13748
- Versions published
- 2
- Manual chapter
- 110
- NCD Manual (Pub. 100-03)
TL;DR
NCD 110.17 sets Medicare's national policy for anti-cancer chemotherapy for colorectal cancer - retired under the benefit category "Incident to a physician's professional Service", effective 02/25/2026 and implemented 10/05/2026. 110.17 – Anti-Cancer Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer (RETIRED) It has been revised 1 time since publication and binds every Medicare Administrative Contractor nationally.
Item or service described
A. General
Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin™), irinotecan (Camptosar®), cetuximab (Erbitux™), and bevacizumab (Avastin™) are anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents are eligible for coverage when used in accordance with FDA-approved labeling (see section 1861(t)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (the Act)), when the off-label use is supported in one of the authoritative drug compendia listed in section 1861(t)(2)(B)(ii)(I) of the Act, or when the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) determines an off-label use is medically accepted based on guidance provided by the Secretary (section 1861(t)(2)(B)(ii)(II).
Indications and limitations of coverage
110.17 – Anti-Cancer Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer (RETIRED)
(Rev. 13748; Issued: 04-23-26; Effective: 02-25-26; Implementation: 10-05-26)
Effective February 25, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) removed NCD 110.17, ending coverage of the off-label use of clinical items and services, including the use of the studied drugs oxaliplatin, irinotecan, cetuximab, or bevacizumab, in specific clinical trials identified by CMS. Other coverage mechanisms remain available for these items and services under the Clinical Trial Policy NCD 310.1 and, separately, under § 1861(t)(2)(B) of the Act.
Text reproduced from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database record for NCD 110.17 version 2. View the original on cms.gov.
Revision history
04/2026 - The purpose of this Change Request (CR) is to inform contractors that, effective February 25, 2026, CMS reconsidered NCD 110.17 and made a final determination to remove the NCD in its entirety. ( TN 13748 ) (CR 14433)
06/2005 - Use of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin™), irinotecan (Camptosar®), cetuximab (Erbitux™), or bevacizumab (Avastin™) covered in clinical trials identified by CMS and sponsored by National Cancer Institute. Effective date 01/28/2005. Implementation date 04/18/2005 for Carriers, 07/05/2005 for FI's. ( TN 38 ) (CR 3742)
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 110.17
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.
Frequently asked questions — NCD 110.17
What does NCD 110.17 cover?
110.17 – Anti-Cancer Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer (RETIRED) The full indications and limitations are reproduced on this page from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database.
When did NCD 110.17 take effect?
The current version (2) is effective 02/25/2026, implemented 10/05/2026, published in transmittal 13748. CMS lists 2 versions of this NCD.
Does a Local Coverage Determination override NCD 110.17?
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.
- Medicare Coverage Database NCDs via the CMS Coverage APIVersion API snapshot 2026-09-27 · effective 2026-09-20 · file national-coverage-ncd.jsonSHA-256 a90fadfd264b9ef4…
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.