SCAI comments on CMS payment schedule

July 17, 2017 — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2017 Medicare Trustees Report, the 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment Systems (HOPPS) proposed rules. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) offered the following synopsis of these extensive documents and how the proposals impact on cardiology. 

The American College of Radiology (ACR) recently revised its authoritative guide for the safe and effective use of contrast media.

LimFlow SA announced enrollment of the first patient in the U.S. feasibility study of the LimFlow Percutaneous Deep Vein Arterialization (pDVA) System. The novel, purely percutaneous device is designed for the treatment of end-stage critical limb ischemia (CLI) when all other revascularization efforts have been exhausted. The first patient was treated on July 5, 2017 at Metro Health - University of Michigan Health by Jihad A. Mustapha, M.D., FACC, FSCAI.

Automated medical imaging views using deep learning, artificial intelligence, Philips Epiq

Medical image analysis based on artificial intelligence (AI) employ convolutional neural networks, support vector machines, fuzzy logic systems and other machine learning methods to extract meaning from medical images. State-of-the-art computer vision software gives evidence-based tips to diagnosticians, dispels their possible doubts and ensures diagnostic consistency.

July 17, 2017 — Despite issues with point-of-care INR testing company Alere Inc., Abbott announced this week it is once again commencing a tender cash offer to purchase the company. Abbott offered to purchase all outstanding shares of series B convertible perpetual preferred stock of Alere. Abbott said it will pay $402 per share. Abbott said the new offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. 

Abbott wants to acquire Alere;s handheld devices are used to monitor blood clotting time as measured by PT/INR values in people taking warfarin.

Intact Vascular Inc. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) supplemental application to modify the primary endpoint in the Tack Optimized Balloon Angioplasty II Below the Knee (TOBA II BTK) clinical trial from 12 months to 6 months.

A review appearing in the July 18 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) discusses current and next-generation implantable hemodynamic monitors. The review particularly examines new approaches focused on the direct measurement of left atrial pressure (LAP), seeking to expand the use of pressure-guided congestive heart failure (CHF) management.

Edwards Sapien 3 TAVR valve will be implanted in asymptomatic aortic stenosis patients in the EARLY TAVR Trial

July 14, 2017 — Morristown Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, has randomized the first patient in the world to the EARLY TAVR (Evaluation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Compared to SurveilLance for Patients With AsYmptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis) trial. 

In a series of proposed rule changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) released July 13, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pushed back the start date for when providers will be required to consult clinical decision support (CDS) for advanced diagnostic imaging to 2019. CMS indicated the first year would be considered an “educational and operational testing year,” meaning claims would still be paid on advanced diagnostic imaging services that do not indicate appropriate use criteria (AUC) were consulted.

Kansas ACC Cardiovascular Symposium

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