CMS Expands PET Scan Coverage
April 14th, 2009
A National Coverage Determination (NCD) issued April 3 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expands coverage of positron emission tomography (PET) scans for the diagnosis and treatment of most solid tumor cancers in Medicare patients and removes the clinical study requirement in some cases.
The NCD also establishes a new coverage framework. Rather than the standard four-part diagnosis, staging, restaging, and monitoring response to treatment categories, CMS will now use a two-part framework to differentiate initial and subsequent treatment strategies.
Consequently, PET imaging coverage depends on not only the type of tumor treated but also the treatment stage. For example, PET imaging used to determine the appropriate initial treatment strategy for a patient suspected of having a brain tumor is covered. Subsequent PET imaging, however, hinges on whether the physician fulfills the Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) requirement. Several other types of solid tumors have this same requirement for subsequent treatment strategies; whereas other types of solid tumors have the CED requirement at just the initial treatment stage.
Remember, however, CMS will pay for only one PET study for a beneficiary with a biopsy-proven or strongly suspected solid tumor based on other diagnostic testing and the treating physician orders the PET scan to determine the location and/or extent of the tumor.
Read the final decision on the CMS Web site for complete coverage changes on oncologic uses of PET imaging.
Related posts:
- FDG PET National Coverage Being Reconsidered
- Comment on CMS PET Scan Expansion
- New FDG PET Reporting Requirements
- New FDG Reporting Requirements Delayed
- FDG PET Rules Finalized, Effective April ’09
April 16th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Has anyone read the coverage changes from CMS? It is a huge document and very confusing! Needs to be trimmed down into a usable document.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Yes, I have read it. I’m in charge of a PET department as an technologist. From my viewpoint, the chart on approx page 30 is what CMS is going to use. The diagnosis that say cover is what they plan to cover. The CED is going still have to go through NOPR. And, yes, my people are confused also.