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Every policy word on this page is CMS's own. Verzi adds pins, receipts, and links only.

A6550

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Pumps

LCD L33821 · CMS's HCPCS descriptor for A6550: Wound care set, for negative pressure wound therapy electrical pump, includes all supplies and accessories.

Not on CMS's Required Prior Authorization List for DMEPOS on 2026-10-13. source

LCD L33821 · 9 versions, 2015 to today · last changed 2024-01-01 (R8)

Version 10 of LCD L33821: in force by CMS's dates 2017-01-01 to 2017-05-24. The policy text on this page comes from this archived version. On its start date, 2017-01-01, the companion Articles in force were Article A52511 version 9 and Article A55426 version 12.

DME MAC jurisdictions
JA · Noridian 16013
CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
JB · CGS 17013
IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI
JC · CGS 18003
AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, LA, MS, NM, NC, OK, PR, SC, TN, TX, VI, VA, WV
JD · Noridian 19003
AK, AS, AZ, CA, GU, HI, ID, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, MP, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
source

CMS's Who are the MACs jurisdiction pages (DME facts as of 2025-09-30) name each contractor and its states; the MCD's Contractor Information table on every DME LCD prints the contract numbers. Both read 2026-10-09. Verzi adds the state lookup only.

You are viewing version 10 (2017-01-01 to 2017-05-24). Version 28 is in force today.

Codes CMS lists in this LCD's current version (version 28, 3 codes). CMS's download carries no list for version 10: A6550 A7000 E2402

Sections in this version: CMS National Coverage Policy · Coverage Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity · Coding Information · Associated Information. Plus 4 sections marked N/A in this version.

Full verbatim text serves to customers · Customer? Log in

Version history, LCD L33821

CMS numbers each version. Each box shows the version's window by CMS's stated dates. Select a version to show it on this page. Versions superseded the same day they took effect never governed a claim, so the page hides them until you ask. Version numbers CMS never published to its archive do not exist as documents.

Revision history, every version

CMS's own change log, quoted, 8 entries. It does not change with the version shown. A revision (R-number) is a change CMS logged. The version (vN) is the snapshot that carries it.

R8 · 2024-01-01 · v28
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2024
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Added: “and document an affirmative response” to language that pertains to contact with the beneficiary or caregiver/designee for DMEPOS products supplied as refills
Revised: “approaching exhaustion” to “expected to end” in regard to existing supplies
Revised: “Contact with the beneficiary or designee regarding refills must take place no sooner than 14 calendar days prior to the delivery/shipping date.” to “Contact with the beneficiary or designee regarding refills must take place no sooner than 30 calendar days prior to the expected end of the current supply.”
Revised: “For delivery of refills, the supplier must deliver the DMEPOS product no sooner than 10 calendar days prior to the end of usage for the current product.” to “For delivery of refills, the supplier must deliver the DMEPOS product no sooner than 10 calendar days prior to the expected end of the current supply.”


12/14/2023: Pursuant to the 21st Century Cures Act, these revisions do not require notice and comment because the revisions are non-discretionary updates to refill requirement information per CMS Final Rule CMS-1780-F.
R7 · 2021-05-01 · v25
Revision Effective Date: 05/01/2021
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Revised: Roman to Arabic numerals in staging scheme
Revised: “an” to “a” before NPWT
APPENDICES:
Revised: Updated National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel to National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and 2019 guidelines (unchanged from 2016 guidelines)


03/18/2021: Pursuant to the 21st Century Cures Act, these revisions do not require notice and comment because they are due grammatical or non-substantive changes.
R6 · 2020-01-01 · v22
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020
CODING INFORMATION:
Removed: Field titled “Bill Type”
 Removed: Field titled “Revenue Codes”
Removed: Field titled “ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity”
Removed: Field titled “ICD-10 Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity”
Removed: Field titled “Additional ICD-10 Information”
As required by CR 10901, the ICD-10 information has been moved to all Policy Articles. There is no change in coverage.
R5 · 2020-01-01 · v20
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Revised: Format of HCPCS code references, from code 'spans’ to individually-listed HCPCS
 Revised: “treating physician” to “treating practitioner”
 GENERAL:
 Revised: Order information as a result of Final Rule 1713
 REFILL REQUIREMENTS:
 Revised: “ordering physicians” to “treating practitioners”
 DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
 Revised: “physician’s” to “treating practitioner’s”
 GENERAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
 Revised: “Prescriptions (orders)” to “SWO”


02/13/2020: Pursuant to the 21st Century Cures Act, these revisions do not require notice and comment because they are due to non-discretionary coverage updates reflective of CMS FR-1713, HCPCS code changes, and non-substantive corrections (listing individual HCPCS codes instead of a HCPCS code-span).
R4 · 2017-05-25 · v12
Revision Effective Date: 05/25/2017
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Removed: General instructions regarding WOPD
R3 · 2017-01-01 · v10
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2017
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Removed: Standard Documentation Language
Added: New reference language and directions to Standard Documentation Requirements
Added: General Requirements
Revised: Supply Requirements
Revised: Refill Requirements
DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Removed: Standard Documentation Language
Added: General Documentation Requirements
Added: New reference language and directions to Standard Documentation Requirements
POLICY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Removed: Standard Documentation Language
Added: Direction to Standard Documentation Requirements
Removed: Reference to Supplier Manual under Miscellaneous
Revised: Pressure ulcer staging criteria per NPUAP 2016 Staging Consensus Conference
Removed: PIM reference under Appendices
RELATED LOCAL COVERAGE DOCUMENTS:
Added: LCD-related Standard Documentation Requirements article
R2 · 2016-07-01 · v6
Effective July 1, 2016 oversight for DME MAC LCDs is the responsibility of CGS Administrators, LLC 18003 and 17013 and Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC 19003 and 16013. No other changes have been made to the LCDs.
R1 · 2015-10-01 · v4
Revision Effective Date: 10/01/2015
COVERAGE INDICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND/OR MEDICAL NECESSITY:
Revised: Standard Documentation Language to add covered prior to a beneficiary’s Medicare eligibility
DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Added: Standard Documentation Language for Dispensing Orders
Revised: Standard Documentation Language to add who can enter date of delivery date on the POD
Added: Instructions for Equipment Retained from a Prior Payer
Added: Repair/Replacement section
Removed: Diagnosis code type reference
Receipts for auditors

Version 10 of LCD L33821, shown on this page: in force by CMS's dates 2017-01-01 to 2017-05-24. Archived 2026-09-26. CMS's copy · Our archived file. 8 of 8 sections are proven word-identical to the archived file.

Every archived version of LCD L33821 (9 versions, CMS's dates, window by the as-of rule).

DocumentVersionIn forceArchived onVerify
LCD L33821version 22015-10-01, superseded same day2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 42015-10-01 to 2016-06-302026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 62016-07-01 to 2016-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 10 shown2017-01-01 to 2017-05-242026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 122017-05-25 to 2019-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 202020-01-01, superseded same day2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 222020-01-01 to 2021-04-302026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 252021-05-01 to 2023-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
LCD L33821version 282024-01-01 to today2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file

The related Articles each have their own receipts: Article A55426 · Article A52511.

Each archived file's page gives its sha256 fingerprint. A copy of the file hashes to the same value, byte for byte.

CMS's live page shows only the current version. To check a passage by eye, open CMS's copy of the same version number. A version's window ends on the earlier of CMS's stated end date and the day before the next version starts.

Every policy word on this page is CMS's, from the archived version named beside it. Verzi adds labels, highlights, citations and links only. Verzi-written summary content on this page: none.

Governing policies, as CMS lists them:

  • LCD L33821 · Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Pumps
    CMS lists A6550 in group 2 of version 28. CMS's description, quoted: “WOUND CARE SET, FOR NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY ELECTRICAL PUMP, INCLUDES ALL SUPPLIES AND ACCESSORIES”.
    Related Articles, as CMS lists them: Article A55426 · Article A52511

From CMS's LCD code table. HCPCS Level II codes only.

source

CMS's LCD code table in the Medicare Coverage Database download, archived 2026-10-09: Our archived file.

Watch A6550

One email when any policy cited for A6550 changes or gains a future effective date. Nothing else, ever.