Impella nets Category I CPT codes for 2013

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved and released the valuation of the three new Category I CPT codes for Impella percutaneous technologies, to be effective January 2013.

The process for obtaining Category I CPT codes for the Impella devices began in 2011 and was based on a review of published, peer-reviewed literature and clinical use in the U.S. Data for the CPT codes were submitted by the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS).

As released in September by the American Medical Association, three new individual CPT codes were created to apply to the insertion (estimated payment, $440), repositioning (estimated payment, $184) and removal of Impella percutaneous devices (estimated payment, $209). The total of all three CPT codes in aggregate is $833.

The above rates are calculated using the Final Rule 2013 total Relative Value Units (RVU) for each of the above codes and the 2012 Conversion Factor, according to the Danvers, Mass.-based company.

On Nov. 28, SCAI, ACC and HRS will provide a coding webcast for members to discuss the valuation and payment of the specific codes.

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