On January 1, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented drastic payment cuts for commonly performed electrophysiology ablation procedures, including ablations for atrial fibrillation (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), despite objections from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and others. To understand the real-world impact of the payment cuts on physician practices, a survey was conducted. Download the survey results.
May 27, 2022. The Heart Rhythm Society, along with the American Medical Association, and more than 100 other national and state medical societies have endorsed a set of guiding principles for payment reform, Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Physician Payment System. The principals provide a framework to develop policy proposals that will stabilize payment for physician services. Work to develop concrete proposals to meet these goals will continue.
April 14, 2021 - On April 13, HRS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the Agency to move forward with plans to allow for Medicare coverage of procedures that the FDA identifies as breakthrough technology. The Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology program is intended to establish a pathway to provide Medicare beneficiaries access to new, innovative devices.
August 17, 2020 - On August 3, 2020, HRS submitted a letter to the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommending that hospital data collections remain consistent and transparent. The letter is in response to an announcement revising the data collection process.
July 16, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology sent a letter to UnitedHealthcare advising that it suspends the implementation of prior authorization rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.
November 13, 2019 - The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) has released its final and draft guidance publication priorities for the 2020 fiscal year. The Heart Rhythm Society submitted comments on (1) the inclusion of the development of a draft guidance document titled Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices as a Category A document; and (2) the necessity for an update of the 1990 document titled Implantable Pacemaker Testing Guidance.
September 19, 2019 - HRS submitted it comments on the proposed revisions to the Medicare Quality Payment Program for 2020. Recommendations addressed efforts to streamline the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, promoting the use of specialty measures relevant to EP, and interoperability.
September 9, 2019 - Read our comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2020. In the comment letter, HRS recommends corrections that would improve payment for the malpractice RVUs allocated to EP services, and address CMS' questions regarding payments for remote monitoring services.
HRS Survey Assessing Impact of Cuts to Ablation Reimbursement in the US
On January 1, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented drastic payment cuts for commonly performed electrophysiology ablation procedures, including ablations for atrial fibrillation (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), despite objections from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and others. To understand the real-world impact of the payment cuts on physician practices, a survey was conducted. Download the survey results.
Read the full article on Heart Rhythm Journal
Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Payment System
May 27, 2022. The Heart Rhythm Society, along with the American Medical Association, and more than 100 other national and state medical societies have endorsed a set of guiding principles for payment reform, Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Physician Payment System. The principals provide a framework to develop policy proposals that will stabilize payment for physician services. Work to develop concrete proposals to meet these goals will continue.
HRS Comments on Plans to Improve Medicare Access to New Technologies
April 14, 2021 - On April 13, HRS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the Agency to move forward with plans to allow for Medicare coverage of procedures that the FDA identifies as breakthrough technology. The Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology program is intended to establish a pathway to provide Medicare beneficiaries access to new, innovative devices.
HRS Submits Comments on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2021
September 21, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) submitted comments on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2021.
HRS Letter to White House Coronavirus Task Force on Data Collection Standards
August 17, 2020 - On August 3, 2020, HRS submitted a letter to the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommending that hospital data collections remain consistent and transparent. The letter is in response to an announcement revising the data collection process.
HRS Advises UnitedHealthcare to Suspend its Implementation of Prior Authorization Rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
July 16, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology sent a letter to UnitedHealthcare advising that it suspends the implementation of prior authorization rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.
HRS Comments on FDA’s 2020 Guidance Priorities
November 13, 2019 - The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) has released its final and draft guidance publication priorities for the 2020 fiscal year. The Heart Rhythm Society submitted comments on (1) the inclusion of the development of a draft guidance document titled Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices as a Category A document; and (2) the necessity for an update of the 1990 document titled Implantable Pacemaker Testing Guidance.
Proposed Revisions to Medicare's Quality Payment Program for CY 2020
September 19, 2019 - HRS submitted it comments on the proposed revisions to the Medicare Quality Payment Program for 2020. Recommendations addressed efforts to streamline the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, promoting the use of specialty measures relevant to EP, and interoperability.
2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
September 9, 2019 - Read our comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2020. In the comment letter, HRS recommends corrections that would improve payment for the malpractice RVUs allocated to EP services, and address CMS' questions regarding payments for remote monitoring services.
HRS Comments on the Final NCD for ICD
December 20, 2018 - Read HRS and ACC's joint comment letter on the revisions to CMS' National Coverage Determination for ICDs.