An expansion in insurance reimbursement is in the works for MR angiography (MRA) of the abdomen and pelvis, according to a decision memo issued Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The broader coverage is set to include MRA imaging of renal arteries that is separate from abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or aortic dissection; and MRA imaging of pelvic arteries, not associated with AAA or aortic dissection.
According to the memo, "MRA should be obtained in those circumstances in which using MRA is expected to avoid obtaining contrast angiography (CA), when physician history, physical examination and standard assessment tools provide insufficient information for patient management, and obtaining an MRA has a high probability of positively affecting patient management."
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersApril 16, 2003
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