Noridian aligns JE nerve policies and revises facet-joint and MolDX articles
Sep 20, 2026 edition · GC-2026-0119 · Published 2026-09-20 · Version 2 · Final
Noridian’s September 17 JE notices set a nerve-policy transition and separate facet-joint coding and MolDX hyperlink revisions.
What happened
Noridian’s September 17 JE notices finalize Peripheral Nerve Injections and Procedures for Chronic Pain LCD L40265 for November 1 and retire Nerve Blockade for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Neuropathy LCD L35456 and article A56034 on October 31 because their material is addressed by the new LCD. The final notice says coverage is limited and reflects an evidence-based update incorporating procedures and literature. The notices establish a policy transition, not payment for every peripheral nerve procedure. Applicability and documentation require the governing policy version and contractor jurisdiction for the service.
The same day, facet-joint article A58403 revision 9 became effective, adding coding instructions for neurolytic destruction involving the T12-L1 and L1-L2 facet joints and revising the related code-pairing instruction. MolDX multiple-genes article A58120 revision 5 was also effective September 17, but its stated change was a revised hyperlink, not new clinical eligibility criteria. At this September coverage cutoff, the article revisions are effective while the nerve-policy retirement and replacement remain future milestones. Coding teams should assess the distinct changes rather than treating all four notices as new coverage mandates.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Final
- Applicability
- Directly applicable
- Audience
- Health systems, Provider networks
- Jurisdiction
- Federal, California
- Affected functions
- Coding, Revenue Cycle, Utilization Management, Clinical Operations, Compliance
- Responsible owner
- Coding
- Recorded date
- 2026-11-01
- Date type
- implementation
Why it matters
Different changes require different controls: future clinical policy transition, current coding guidance and an administrative link update should not produce the same edit changes.
Recommended action
Compare the final nerve-policy transition and relevant dates with current documentation tools, check the facet-joint coding revision, and verify the MolDX link without assuming it changes coverage criteria.
Implementation playbook
- Internal target: Identify affected nerve-procedure and molecular-diagnostic services. Coding · Due 2026-10-02
- Internal target: Compare local edits and documentation tools with all four revisions. Utilization Management · Due 2026-10-16
- Internal target: Deploy and verify changes before the November 1 effective date. Revenue Cycle · Due 2026-10-30
Sources
- Noridian JE Latest UpdatesOfficial · Noridian Healthcare Solutions · 2026-09-17 · Source review 2026-09-20
- Official retained source documentOfficial · Official issuing agency · 2026-09-17 · Source review 2026-10-16
- Official retained source documentOfficial · Official issuing agency · 2026-09-17 · Source review 2026-10-16
- Official retained source documentOfficial · Official issuing agency · 2026-09-17 · Source review 2026-10-16
- Official retained source documentOfficial · Official issuing agency · 2026-09-17 · Source review 2026-10-16
Complete edition and supplemental material
This finding in the complete approved report →Regulatory horizons, CIA trends and implementation trackers remain in the full report.
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