CMS just launched a redesigned, upgraded version of its Medicare Coverage Database (MCD). The MCD site houses all national coverage determinations (NCDs) and local coverage determinations (LCDs), as well as a search engine to find the ones you're looking for. The new site "has been restyled from the ground up" although the functionality is unchanged, CMS says.
First off, the old URL address -- www.cms.gov/MCD/ -- will still work even though the new website has a new URL, www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/. Going to the old URL will automatically redirect your browser to the new one.
You can see at a glance why CMS describes the new site as being "restyled." There is an animated menu bar that presents the navigation choices clearly and cleanly. The big tabs at the top make it easier to access various functions, whereas the old site required clicking on less obvious text links.
Here is a summary of the changes, in CMS's own words:
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Pages with new streamlined design elements including a coordinated color scheme and more defined banners, buttons, text boxes, and tables.
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More utilization of expand and collapse functionality for a cleaner presentation of data.
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More consistent application of design elements across pages.
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Enhanced Basket functionality.
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Enhanced on-line help.
On top of these obvious changes, CMS has upgraded the hardware and coding behind the MCD website, and expects that "this will provide a faster and more reliable experience for users."