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www.fdanews.com/articles/131803-cms-expands-coverage-for-ventricular-assist-devices

CMS Expands Coverage for Ventricular Assist Devices

November 10, 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to cover ventricular assist device implantation as a destination therapy for some patients with end-stage ventricular heart failure. To qualify, patients must not be a candidate for heart transplant, have failed to respond to optimal medical management for 40 of the last 60 days, have a left ventricular injection fraction greater than 25 percent and have demonstrated functional limitation with a peak oxygen of ≤ 14 ml/kg/min. The decision is explained in a memo released this week.