Payment rate on S-ICD set for increase

Candace Stuart | | Cardiovascular Business | Economics

The Medicare outpatient payment rate for implanting certain implantable defibrillator devices will increase by 23 percent on Jan. 1, 2015, thanks to a change in its designation.

Boston Scientific announced that the American Medical Association is changing the designation of its subcutaneous implantable defibrillation system (S-ICD) to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Category I codes, which the company said will make the coding process more predictable for hospitals and implanting physician. This category covers procedures that are widely performed and consistent with medical practice.

Candace Stuart, Contributor

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