PITTSBURGH, July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The TandemHeart
circulatory support system has been granted expanded reimbursement
coverage by NHIC, Corp., the Medicare Administrative Contractor
(MAC) serving over 1.3 million beneficiaries and over 53,000
healthcare providers in the Northeast region of the United
States.
“We are extremely pleased with the decision by NHIC to expand
coverage of the TandemHeart system,” said Kraig McEwen,
President and CEO of CardiacAssist, Inc. “Supported by
the growing body of clinical evidence on the use of TandemHeart,
the action taken by NHIC ensures that health care providers in the
Northeast receive adequate reimbursement coverage when caring for
critically ill patients. We are also extremely grateful to
the independent societies and physicians that worked with NHIC to
ensure that patients have access to the best possible care.”
Physicians have utilized the TandemHeart device to provide
critical heart support to over 2,500 patients at more than 170 of
the top cardiac centers in the United States. The system is
composed of a small centrifugal pump, a series of cannulae which
connect the pump to the patient and an electro-mechanical
controller. Starting from a small incision in a patient’s
leg, cannulae are inserted into the blood vessels and up to the
heart. The TandemHeart pump is then activated, allowing
damaged heart muscle to rest while augmenting the flow of blood to
the patient’s vital organs and the rest of the body.
NHIC’s Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Percutaneous
Ventricular Assist Devices (L31518) became effective July 8, 2011,
and provides coverage of TandemHeart as a primary treatment option
for a wide range of indications. It applies to Medicare
beneficiaries throughout NHIC’s jurisdiction, including those
located in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
Vermont.
About TandemHeart
The FDA-cleared TandemHe
‘/>”/>
