Cardiac PET May Benefit from Drop in SPECT Reimbursement

November 12, 2009 - Positron Corp. predicts an industry wide demand for cardiac PET imaging, as a result of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule increasing Cardiac PET reimbursement by 20 percent, while reducing coverage for SPECT by 36 percent.

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule outlines the payment rates for medical services paid to private physicians in the outpatient office setting. This fee schedule states that Myocardial PET perfusion imaging was increased 20 percent to $1,432.87 per study. The Schedule also states that Cardiovascular SPECT reimbursement for outpatient cardiology practices billing under CPT codes has been reduced by 36 percent. Ejection fraction and wall motion codes will now be bundled into a new global code.

This is good news for companies like Positron, a molecular imaging company focused on nuclear cardiology. Positron utilizes its proprietary product line to provide unique solutions to the nuclear medicine community ranging from imaging to radiopharmaceutical distribution. Positron products include: the Attrius, a PET imaging device; the Pulse, a SPECT imaging device; the Nuclear Pharm-Assist, an automated radiopharmaceutical distribution device; and the Tech-Assist, a radiopharmaceutical injection shield.

For more information: www.positron.com