CMS Proposes Ending Evidence Requirement for Symptomatic TAVR While Expanding Coverage to Asymptomatic Patients
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a national coverage analysis decision memo on Monday that would drop the coverage with evidence development requirement for TAVR in symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients.
BenzingaThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed removing the coverage with evidence development requirement for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. The same proposal would expand TAVR coverage to patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis under coverage with evidence development.
It would also update coverage criteria for pre-procedure evaluations, intraoperative standards, and operator and hospital volume requirements.
The agency published the changes as a national coverage analysis decision memo with proposed status. " Aortic stenosis is a narrowing or stiffening of the heart's aortic valve. It restricts blood flow from the heart's main pumping chamber to the rest of the body.
