On Thu Feb 2, CMS proposed that Medicare patients across the county have access to a new procedure, known as "transcatheter aortic valve replacement" (TAVR).
The result of an unprecedented level of collaboration between CMS, the Food and Drug Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Edwards Lifesciences, this Proposed Coverage Decision Memorandum for TAVR continues CMS's commitment to cross-agency collaboration and ensuring patients have access to the latest and best medical technology. We are requesting public comments on this proposed determination pursuant to section 1862(l) of the Social Security Act. We are specifically interested in public comments on the use of Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) in this decision. After considering the public comments, we will make a final determination and issue a final decision memorandum. The proposed decision will be open for 30 days of public comment before CMS issues a final decision later this year. To read the full proposal, visit http://www.CMS.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-proposed-decision-memo.aspx?NCAId=257. The full text of this excerpted blog post can be found on the CMS blog at http://blog.CMS.gov/2012/02/02<http://blog.cms.gov/2012/02/02>. ________________________________ It's Not too Late to Give and Get the Flu Vaccine. Take advantage of each office visit and protect your patients against the seasonal flu. Medicare will continue to pay for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for all Medicare beneficiaries through the entire flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that patients, healthcare workers and caregivers be vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get the Flu Vaccine-Not the Flu. Remember - The flu vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. CMS has posted the 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine payment limits at http://www.CMS.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/10_VaccinesPricing.asp. Note that the flu vaccine is NOT a Part D-covered drug. For more information on coverage and billing of the flu vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational provider resources, visit http://www.CMS.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp and http://www.cms.gov/immunizations. ________________________________ Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf). If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you.
