Dear Heart Rhythm Society Member,

With over 90% participant enrollment, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) commend the over 1,200 hospitals and physicians who have successfully made the transition to the ICD Registry™. As QNET sunsets on April 30, 2006, the ICD Registry™ becomes the sole source data repository of ICD-related information for Medicare beneficiaries and other patients.

While the mandate for the ICD Registry™ is to collect data on Medicare patients for primary prevention, the Heart Rhythm Society and the ACC are recommending collection and submission of data for all ICD patients. Registry data will be used by CMS to compare the clinical characteristics and findings of randomized controlled clinical trials to patients as seen in the general population.

An overwhelming number of attendees at a recent ICD Registry™ Workshop held in Mclean, Virginia on April 20 & 21, 2006 indicated that their hospital intends to collect and submit data on all ICD patients. Such hospitals will be distinguished from others as a "Premium Participant Facility" and will be provided quarterly benchmark data that includes "apples-to-apples" comparison to similar hospital ICD programs. There is no extra charge to submit all ICD patient's data to obtain these benefits.

ROLE OF THE IMPLANTING PHYSICIAN TO SUPPORT ICD REGISTRY™ DATA COLLECTION

Physicians have a critical role in ensuring the clinical data is readily available and accessible for either the EP/cath lab nurse or data quality manager who will be performing the actual data input.

At Heart Rhythm 2006, several educational opportunities to become more familiar with the ICD Registry™ will be offered:

• "Hands-On Demonstration of the ICD Registry™
  May 17, 2006 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Room 205ABC
  Keesha Grant, Senior Specialist, ICD Registry
• "How Can the ICD Registry™ Improve Care?"
  Clinical Tutorial #18, Room 205ABC
  May 18, 2006 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
  Stephen C. Hammill, MD, HRS Immediate Past-President
• Heart Rhythm Place, Booth #249
  May 18-20, 2006 from 9:00AM - 5:00PM
  Joel C. Harder, Manager, Quality Improvement and Outcomes
  Robyn Goddard, ACC-NCDR Representative

Come visit us at any of these opportunities to learn more about the ICD Registry™. In addition, HRS and the ACC anticipate new educational materials and webcasts will be made available this summer to advance this effort.

EXPANDED MEDICARE COVERAGE AS OF APRIL 1, 2006

The 2005 decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand Medicare coverage of ICDs increased the number of eligible Medicare beneficiaries to nearly 500,000 and also required hospitals to submit data to an ICD Registry™ as a criterion of coverage. The National ICD Registry™ replaces the previous CMS' QNET Registry, which sunsets on April 30, 2006.

As of April 1, all hospitals participating in the ICD Registry™ will be able to extend this coverage to patients diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) greater than three months and less than nine months, NYHA Class II or III heart failure, and measured LVEF ≤ 35%. These patients did not have a covered Medicare indication until now and were previously ineligible for Medicare reimbursement.

REPORTING THE "QR" MODIFIER FOR ICD IMPLANTATIONS

As a reminder, it is the hospital's responsibility to collect the necessary data and submit appropriate data through the ICD Registry™. However, the "QR" modifier requirement applies to reporting outpatient hospital and physician claims meeting covered indications.

Physician practices must enter "QR" in the modifier section of the Medicare claim form for CPT code 33249 (full system implant) or 33240 (replacement generator). Hospitals must enter the "QR" in the modifier section of the Medicare claim form for HCPCS codes G0299 and G0300 for outpatient services.

If you have questions, please contact Joel Harder, Manager, Quality Improvement and Outcomes at jharder@HRSonline.org or 202-464-3489.

Sincerely,

Anne B. Curtis, MD
President, Heart Rhythm Society