Ultrasound vendor Acuson of Mountain View, CA, announced today that its new AcuNav ultrasound catheter has been granted pass-through reimbursement status by the Health Care Financing Administration.
Acuson's announcement is related to HCFA's implementation of its new Medicare and Medicaid hospital outpatient prospective payment system, which will dramatically change reimbursement rates for outpatient imaging services. The system cuts hospital outpatient radiology reimbursement rates by about 30%, and does not reimburse for contrast media at all. The new scheme is scheduled to go into effect August 1.
For some drugs and devices that could not have been billed prior to 1996, HCFA has established a pass-through classification that allows for separate reimbursement of procedures using the devices, in addition to reimbursement for the procedure performed. Many vendors, including Acuson, have applied to have their products listed under this classification.
Acuson reported that AcuNav has been assigned HCFA C-class code C1001, which enables hospitals to be reimbursed based on their individual charges for the catheter.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersJuly 11, 2000
Related Reading
HCFA gives radiology 30-day reprieve from onset of new outpatient system, June 7, 2000
Radiology awaits arrival of HCFA's new APC payment system, June 5, 2000
Outpatient rad services could be hit hard by HCFA's new payment system, April 27, 2000
FDA OKs Acuson's AcuNav diagnostic ultrasound catheter, December 21, 1999
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