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Originally Published MX March/April 2008 BUSINESS NEWS
CMS Reconsiders Artifical Heart Reimbursement
Countermanding a policy that has existed for more than two decades, in February the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS; Baltimore) announced a proposed policy to provide Medicare reimbursement for artificial heart devices.
The CMS announcement marks the reversal of a decision dating back to 1986, by which the agency had explicitly ruled out such coverage. A final ruling on CMS coverage of artificial heart devices for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in FDA-approved studies will be made by May 1.
Kerry Weems, acting administrator for CMS, observed that the revised policy "relaxes a long-standing noncoverage policy, gives access to our beneficiaries, and promotes evidence development through FDA-approved studies of this advanced technology."
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