National ICD Registry™ becomes official database for Medicare

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 3, 2006 – Patients and physicians across the country will now have access to better information on implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) today, as the national ICD RegistryTM becomes the official database for Medicare patients.

A partnership between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and Heart Rhythm Society, the ICD RegistryTM collects detailed information on ICD implantations to assess and improve the care of patients receiving ICDs for primary prevention therapy. Over 1,300 hospitals have been contacted and are in the process of enrolling as participants.

"The new registry for Medicare patients receiving implantable cardioverter defibrillators is helping us meet our goals of increasing patient safety and ensuring the best care possible for heart patients, " noted Stephen Hammill, MD, Chair, CMS ICD Registry National Working Group and Immediate Past President, Heart Rhythm Society.

"The ICD RegistryTM promotes a high quality of care surrounding the implantation of ICDs. Our partnership with CMS ensures that this important quality mission be accomplished and will undoubtedly lead to huge benefits for all health care stakeholders, but more importantly for our ICD patients and their families going forward." added Ralph G. Brindis, M.D., F.A.C.C., ACC-NCDR Management Board Chair.

The 2005 decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand Medicare coverage of ICDs increased the number of eligible Medicare beneficiaries to nearly 500,000 and also required hospitals to submit data to an ICD registry as a criterion of coverage. Effective today, the national ICD RegistryTM replaces the previous CMS QNET registry, which sunsets on April 30, 2006. In addition, as of April 1, all hospitals participating in the ICD registry will be able to extend this coverage to patients diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) greater than > 3 months and less than < 9 months, NYHA Class II or III heart failure, and measured LVEF < 35%. These patients did not have a covered Medicare indication until now and were previously ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. - more -

"These efforts are a part of CMS' Coverage with Evidence Development initiative, which helps ensure that patients receive access to important treatments while facilitating the collection of evidence so that doctors and patients are able to get the most benefits with the least side effects," CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. said "The Medicare aggregate data from the ICD RegistryTM 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."

About the ICD RegistryTM

Launched June 30, 2005, the national ICD RegistryTM was developed through a collaboration between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and Heart Rhythm Society and is designed for participation by hospitals. The registry collects detailed information on ICD implantations and has as one of its missions helping hospitals meet CMS requirements. The purpose of the registry is to assess and improve the care of patients receiving ICDs . In addition to meeting CMS data collection requirements for ICD implantation, national ICD Registry participants receive quarterly benchmark reports that can be used to measure patient outcomes, volume and utilization.

The ICD Registry is a part of The American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCDR®), a comprehensive cardiac and data repository.

More information about the ICD Registry can be found at www.accncdr.org.

About Heart Rhythm Society
The Heart Rhythm Society is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education and optimal health care policies and standards. Founded in 1979 to address the scarcity of information about the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, the Heart Rhythm Society is the preeminent professional group representing more than 4,200 specialists in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology in 78 countries. For more information on the Society, visit us online at www.hrsonline.org www.accncdr.org

About The American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The College is a 33,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care.

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