CMS Proposes Minor Change to Allow Certain MRI Coverage for Pacemaker Patients

The Medicare program is proposing to make one exception to its decision not to cover magnetic resonance imaging for patients with implanted pacemakers or defibrillators, according to a Dec. 1 memo.

The memo notes that there is not enough evidence that the use of MRI for patients with implanted pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) improves patients’ outcomes. Therefore, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing to retain the current general contraindication in the National Coverage Determination Manual for MRI in such patients, except when used in a clinical study, if the study meets certain criteria.

The detailed ...