Originally published October 31 2005
Medicare will observe defibrillator use through database registry
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Medicare will watch the growing use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) in the U.S. via a database set up by the American College of Cardiology.
New data from the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry will help the nation's insurance program for the poor and elderly "learn more about the use" of the implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), officials said in a statement.
"The Medicare aggregate data from the ICD Registry will be made available to the public to better inform patients and physicians on the most appropriate ICD therapy.
Better evidence means better decisions by doctors and patients," said Medicare chief Mark McClellan.
Medicare has been using its own database, called QNet, to gather such information since agreeing to pay for ICDs in January.
It will use the new data in addition to its own information, they said.
ICDs are small stopwatch-sized devices implanted under the skin near the collarbone.
They deliver electrical shocks to the heart to stop abnormal heart beats and cost about $25,000 each.
Medicare decided to cover ICDs based on a landmark National Institutes of Health trial, funded by Medtronic Inc, called SCD-HeFT, that showed they saved lives in a broad group of cardiac patients.
"The evidence on benefits of ICD implantation in certain subgroups was not as strong, and it is important for doctors to get better evidence on the use of these devices for these patients as well," the agency said.
"Many Medicare beneficiaries are older than the patients studied in SCD-HeFT, and many others who are at high risk of cardiac events do not closely match the characteristics of the group in which there was a clear benefit."
An agency spokesman could not immediately comment on how much use of the new registry would cost.
Officials will start using the new database, developed in part by the Heart Rhythm Society medical association, on April 1, 2006.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml