CMS proposal may kill cardiac CTA, critics fear

Dear AuntMinnie Member,

Proponents of coronary CT angiography (CTA) are scrambling to head off a proposal by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to eliminate Medicare reimbursement for nearly all coronary CTA applications.

CMS in December issued a national coverage decision (NCD) that proposed eliminating all coronary CTA reimbursement except for two relatively minor indications, according to an article by staff writer Eric Barnes that we're featuring this week in our CT Digital Community. CMS is collecting comments on the proposal through January 12.

The agency's move has roused the ire of many cardiac imaging specialists, who consider coronary CTA a promising new technology that offers a less invasive alternative to cardiac catheterization. Implementation of the NCD could sound the death knell for a promising new clinical application, potentially even halting the "slice wars" that have driven CT technology development.

What impact will the NCD have on cardiac CTA if it goes into effect? And what role did third-party payors -- historically averse to expensive new technologies -- play in drafting the proposal? Find out by clicking here.

In other news in the community, we investigate how you can make the most efficient use of your CT scanner in an article by staff writer Kate Madden Yee. In the story, U.S. researchers found that staffing a CT suite with the right number of technologists can have a huge impact on productivity. Get the rest of the details on the story by clicking here, or visit our CT Digital Community at ct.auntminnie.com.