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Carotid disease: Getting to the right decision
The recent move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand coverage for carotid artery stenting brought with it the requirement for a shared decision-making interaction between physicians and patients as they establish which carotid revascularization treatment…
SVS launches expansion of coding resources
The SVS has announced an expansion of its coding-related information and help in response to increasing member demand. The new resources will assist vascular surgeons in navigating medical coding and billing complexities, in line with the Society’s ongoing commitment to…
SVS submits comment letter on Medicare fee schedule to CMS
In September, the Society for Vascular Surgery submitted a detailed comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to a proposed rule that could mean a 3–4% cut in Medicare payments. The letter responds to…
The ‘modern’ VA has made great strides with patient outcomes and satisfaction scores
Data can be granular and clarifying. Conversely, data without appropriate context can lack nuance—like a paint-by-numbers portrait using only one crayon. A recent article publivenshed by Becker’s Hospital Review, and promoted by the medical network Doximity, listed the top 10…
CMS confirms broadened Medicare coverage of carotid artery stenting in final decision
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its final decision regarding National Coverage Determination (NCD) 20.7 covering carotid artery stenting (CAS), essentially confirming the coverage expansion outlined in a July proposed decision memo. In a communique to…
From the editor: Sex, lies, and carotid stents
First, a disclaimer. This commentary is woefully short of sex-related content. Not even the wholesome gender-based outcomes stuff. So, if that key term brought your internet search here, feel free to press on with your illicit journeys my friend. Now,…
Amplifying advocacy: SVS tool for vascular influence on the federal stage
In the dynamic arena of healthcare advocacy, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) stands as a champion, harnessing the power of amplification to thrust the voices of vascular surgeons into the forefront of federal decision-making. Over the past year, the…
Why CMS should still not extend reimbursement indications for carotid stenting or other carotid ‘revascularization’ procedures
This commentary—authored by Anne Abbott, PhD, MBBS, Lawrence Schott, MD, Lan Gao, MMed, PhD, Hrvoje Budincevic, MD, PhD, Rishad Faruqi, MD, Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD, Jean-Baptiste Ricco, MD, PhD, Saeid Shahidi, MD, and Gert J. de Borst, MD, PhD—consists of…
CMS: Proposed reduced conversion factor would cut vascular surgeon reimbursements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in mid-July released two payment-related proposed rules—the highly-anticipated calendar year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (MPFS) and the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center…
SVS members rally to respond to CMS carotid stenting coverage proposal
Nearly one-third of the public comments submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on a controversial proposed coverage decision affecting carotid stenting were from SVS members. “We could not have been more pleased with our members’ response…