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Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Preventive Care:

CMS to Cover Annual Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Visit

Published on Tue Nov 08, 2011

Coverage will apply to primary care practitioners, Decision Memo indicates. Amidst growing complaints that Medicare's annual wellness visit (AWV) should be expanded to a full annual physical, CMS has taken baby steps to assuage frustrated medical practices with a new preventive care decision. On Nov. 8, the agency announced that Medicare would offer a free annual cardiovascular disease prevention visit to all beneficiaries. Under the new coverage limitations, CMS will cover the free intensive cardiovascular risk reduction visit, which includes the following three components, the Decision Memo states: Encouraging aspirin use for preventing cardiovascular disease "when the benefits outweigh the risks for men age 45-79 years and women 55-79 years" Screening for high blood pressure in adults age 18 years and older Intensive behavioral counseling to promote a healthy diet in patients with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, advancing age, and other risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease issues. Who can [...]
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