Cardiology Specialty Articles

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: Controversy and Coverage

Now that appropriate use of ICDs is undergoing increased scrutiny by government agencies and by insurers, adherence to ICD placement guidelines is especially crucial. This also makes objective review of these cases more important than ever before. Payer organizations are continuing to have issues with the medically necessity of ICD placement, situations in which an ICD placement does not fall under current guidelines and in areas that require further investigation. This includes over-utilization of ICDs as the primary prevention for patients with a high risk of sudden cardiac death.