CardioExchange Archive

July 29th, 2014

Cardiac Rehab for Heart Failure Patients: The CMS Is Convinced — Are You?

Ileana Piña, MD, MPH and John Ryan, MD

John Ryan interviews Dr. Ileana Piña about her work in HF-ACTION as it relates to the CMS’s recent expansion of cardiac rehabilitation coverage.

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February 12th, 2013

ACC and STS Break New Ground to Test TAVR for Unapproved Uses

Larry Husten, PHD

In a startling break with tradition, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) will manage and run their own clinical trials testing expanded uses for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The two medical groups have recently been granted an investigational device exemption (IDE) by the FDA for one such […]

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August 30th, 2012

ICD Investigation: DOJ Sends Resolution Model to Hospitals

Larry Husten, PHD

Hospitals across the country received emails from the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday containing a proposed “Resolution Model” that will allow the hospitals to begin to settle the long-standing and much-feared DOJ investigation into improper Medicare billing for ICDs. The action appears to confirm an article, published earlier in August in Report on Medicare Compliance, that summarized the […]

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May 12th, 2012

HRS 2012: More Clarity on DOJ ICD Investigation, ‘Incidental PCIs’ Still Excluded

Edward J. Schloss, MD

Thursday morning at Heart Rhythm Scientific Sessions 2012, Suneet Mittal MD of Columbia University gave a detailed account of his group’s experience with a Department of Justice investigation of ICD implantation outside of NCD guidelines.  The talk served to amplify and clarify points made in his perspective in JACC written with Jonathan Steinberg MD, in March 2012. Not long […]

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May 7th, 2012

Politics and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Larry Husten, PHD

Larry Husten takes to task a conservative activist who is trying to inject politics where it’s neither needed nor wanted.

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May 2nd, 2012

CMS Issues National Coverage Decision for TAVR

Larry Husten, PHD

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued on Tuesday its national coverage decision (NCD) for  transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). As expected, CMS will offer reimbursement for TAVR, but only if a number of criteria are first met. The NCD was initially requested by the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic […]

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February 3rd, 2012

CMS Releases Details of Proposed National Coverage for TAVR

Larry Husten, PHD

On Thursday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo containing details of its proposed Medicare coverage for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The memo is a response to a formal request for national coverage determination (NCD) from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The memo will be open […]

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December 5th, 2011

CMS Tightening the Screws on Unnecessary Procedures in Florida and 10 Other States

Larry Husten, PHD

After years of criticism that it has paid billions of dollars for unnecessary procedures, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon ramp up efforts to rein in costs for unnecessary procedures. In 2012, CMS will perform an audit before paying for several big ticket cardiology and orthopedic procedures in certain key states. The news has […]

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August 5th, 2011

USA Today Finds Disparity Between Hospital Performance and Public Perception

Larry Husten, PHD

Patients may think they’re going to a high-quality hospital when in fact they’re not, according to an analysis of Medicare data appearing in USA Today, by reporters Steve Sternberg and Christopher Schnaars. The USA Today website also contains an interactive graphic with a user-friendly interface, to help readers compare hospital death rates and readmission rates […]

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