CardioMEMS HF Monitoring System Receives Medicare Approval
August 5, 2014
St. Jude Medical recently announced that the Medicare (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) has approved the CardioMEMS™ Heart Failure System. The CardioMEMS HF System is the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved heart failure (HF) monitoring device that has been proven to significantly reduce hospital admissions when used by physicians to manage heart failure. CMS will reimburse hospitals an incremental amount in addition to the Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) payment starting October 1st of this year.
The CardioMEMS HF System allows clinicians to monitor pulmonary artery (PA) pressures in order to proactively manage medications and other treatment options while also providing an early indication of worsening HF. The CardioMEMS HF System allows Monitoring of Pressure to Improve Outcomes proven in the CHAMPION trial which to reduce HF hospitalizations by as much as 37% .
More than 5 million Americans suffer from Heart Failure leading to 1 million hospitalizations and 2.8 million office and emergency department visits a year. These hospitalizations are said to be the single greatest economic burden for hospitals and Medicare. It is estimated that $31 billion is spent annually on HF in the U.S. and this cost is projected to more than double to $70 billion by 2030.
