CMS coverage — NCD 270.1
Medicare national coverage for PEMF in chronic wound healing, in place since 2004.
What is covered
Under National Coverage Determination 270.1, Medicare covers PEMF for chronic wound healing — including chronic Stage II+ pressure ulcers and diabetic, arterial, and venous ulcers that have failed standard care. The determination has been in effect since 2004.
Why coverage is different from clearance
FDA clearance means a device can be sold; CMS coverage means the government will pay for it. They are separate decisions by separate agencies. National coverage is the backbone of the wound-care business case — it is what turns an effective device into a reimbursable one, and it pairs with the RTM codes that cover ongoing home monitoring.
What this means for prescribers
NCD 270.1 national coverage means no prior authorization is required for qualifying Medicare patients with eligible wound diagnoses. The prescribing clinician documents the wound diagnosis, the failure of standard care, and the medical necessity — standard documentation for wound care. G0329 is the billing code. Because this is national coverage rather than a local coverage determination, it applies uniformly across Medicare Administrative Contractor regions. The billing path for an eligible wound-care patient is clear, documented, and does not require navigating payer-by-payer variability.
What this means for patients
For a Medicare patient with a qualifying wound — one that has not responded to 30 or more days of conventional treatment — this coverage means the device can be obtained with Medicare paying as primary insurer, subject to normal Part B cost-sharing. The patient who does not know this benefit exists is the patient this channel is specifically designed to reach: someone with a wound that isn't healing, who has been told to continue doing the same thing, and who does not know there is a covered alternative available at home.
Sources
- CMS National Coverage Determination 270.1 (PEMF for chronic wounds)
Related
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For education only — not medical advice, and not a substitute for a clinician's judgment. SofPulse is available by prescription only. Reimbursement figures reflect the 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule and vary by locality, payer, and documentation.