Computer-aided detection (CAD) firm iCAD said it is pleased that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an improved payment policy for intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) in 2013.
The payment value for IORT treatment delivery in the final 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is more than twice the value included in the proposed rule released by CMS in July 2012.
As part of the new rule, IORT payment codes have been unpackaged. CMS has assigned IORT treatment delivery to the same ambulatory payment classification as stereotactic radiosurgery, MR-guided focused ultrasound, and magnetoencephalography (level 1).
In a published statement, iCAD said that it believes the ruling will provide greater access to IORT and accelerate adoption of the technology by radiation oncologists and breast surgeons in the U.S. iCAD sells the Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy system.
