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January 15, 2008

Reimbursement Update

 

Notice to our customers and colleagues:

On December 13, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a change to the way coronary CTA is reimbursed under Medicare. CMS’s proposed National Coverage Decision would eliminate all Medicare reimbursement for coronary CTA except for two indications and further stipulated that coronary CTA must be performed within a controlled clinical trial to be reimbursed. The final decision will be made in March of this year.

As is always the case during industry events like this, Toshiba America Medical Systems is participating in several activities in response to this action:

• Toshiba is working with MITA (Medical Imaging Technology Association) to work with CMS and share our concerns on this change. MITA is also developing a joint industry comment letter to provide to CMS.
• Toshiba works with industry societies, such as the SCCT, on an ongoing basis to address planned changes such as this.
• Toshiba is evaluating how clinical trials would be structured, funded and implemented. In fact, Toshiba is the only vendor supporting a multi-center trial addressing CTA.
• Working with our policy, coding and reimbursement experts Toshiba is evaluating plans to help customers understand and determine any payer issues that may arise from this proposed change.

For those seeking more information, here are web links on this topic and other related issues:

• www.SCCT.org
• www.MedicalImaging.org
• www.CMS.HHS.gov