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Good news! But what the article below fails to mention is that the long process towards a national coverage decision was initiated by Barry Green, a PWP from Texas. He first filed a request for national coverage with CMS, the federal Medicare agency ,in Oct. 2001 Today CMS issued a "decision memorandum" on DBS. Nationwide medicare Coverage is not effective yet, but we're getting closer. Thank you Barry!! FROM: CMS "This decision memorandum does not constitute a national coverage determination (NCD). It states CMS's intent to issue an NCD. Prior to any new or modified policy taking effect, CMS must first issue a manual instruction, program memorandum, CMS ruling or Federal Register Notice, giving specific directions to our claims-processing contractors. That issuance, which includes an effective date, is the NCD. If appropriate, the Agency must also change billing and claims processing systems and issue related instructions to allow for payment. The NCD will be published in the Medicare Coverage Issues Manual. Policy changes become effective as of the date listed in the transmittal that announces the Coverage Issues Manual revision. The whole story is at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ncdr/trackingsheet.asp?id=21 Also the following press release from Medtronic: FROM: Business Wire February 6, 2003, Thursday 10:22 AM Eastern Time HEADLINE: Medicare Opts to Cover Brain Stimulation Nationwide for Parkinson's and Tremor DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 6, 2003 Agency's decision expands access to Medtronic's Activa(R) Therapy to thousands more Americans " In a move that will expand access nationwide to a breakthrough treatment for advanced stages of Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today established a national Medicare coverage policy for Activa(R) Therapy, or brain stimulation, from Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT). When the new policy is fully implemented, every Medicare beneficiary who needs or stands to benefit from brain stimulation will be covered. Activa Therapy uses Medtronic's "brain pacemaker" technology to control the disabling symptoms of the two most common neurological movement disorders. Most private insurers already cover the treatment, and more are expected to follow suit in the wake of CMS's decision to provide national Medicare coverage. Combined, Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor affect 2.5 million Americans. CMS (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration, or HCFA) is the government agency that administers the healthcare programs covering an estimated 75 million Americans. Activa Therapy has become the treatment of choice for Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor when medication alone fails to provide adequate benefit or consistently causes intolerable side effects, according to Dr. Roy Bakay, director of functional and restorative neurosurgery at the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch (CINN), and professor and vice chairman of neurological surgery at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. A pioneer in the treatment of neurological movement disorders and an advocate of expanding coverage for proven applications of brain stimulation, Dr. Bakay summarized the significance of the CMS decision: "No matter where they live, people on Medicare with Parkinson's or tremor will have equal access to Activa Therapy. No longer will some patients be denied this emerging standard of care because of coverage issues." "For now," he said, "in the absence of a cure, brain stimulation represents the best option for many people whose lives have become severely compromised by these devastating disorders. Importantly, it keeps patients' options open for the future while providing symptom relief now." Added Scott Ward, president of Medtronic's Neurological and Diabetes business: "The agency's decision marks another milestone in the development of this proven treatment for people in advanced stages of Parkinson's or Essential Tremor. With national coverage for brain stimulation, Medicare beneficiaries everywhere nationwide will have clear access to Activa Therapy." Activa Therapy works by stimulating deep brain structures that influence motor control -- effectively blocking abnormal brain signals that cause disabling symptoms. The treatment can be adjusted noninvasively by a clinician with a special programmer, and its effects can be reversed by turning off the stimulation or removing the device. Similar in size to a cardiac pacemaker and implanted near the collarbone, a medical device generically called a neurostimulator, or "brain pacemaker," generates precisely controlled electrical pulses that are delivered to the brain through electrodes attached to a thin wire. Studies show that Activa Therapy can dramatically improve mobility and movement control in properly selected patients. According to an article published in the Sept. 27, 2001 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, brain stimulation "is associated with significant improvement in motor function in patients with Parkinson's disease whose condition cannot be improved with medical therapy." The article presents data collected in Medtronic's global multicenter clinical trials, which led to the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration's approval for brain stimulation as a treatment for Parkinson's in January. Brain stimulation has been studied for more than two decades. Data supporting its safety and efficacy have been published in dozens of peer-reviewed medical journals and presented at hundreds of scientific meetings for neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuroscientists. Designating brain stimulation "substantially more effective" than the alternatives, an expert panel charged by CMS to review the data in June declared unanimously in an official motion: "The new intervention improves health outcomes by a substantial margin, as compared to established services or medical items." In the trials sponsored by Medtronic, Activa Therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease increased "on" time -- periods of good motor function and symptom relief -- by an average of more than six hours per day at 12 months in patients whose data were verified against medical records. This dramatic improvement occurred while dyskinesia -- the uncontrollable, involuntary movements that often result from anti-Parkinsonian medications -- decreased significantly. The total cost of Activa Therapy ranges on average from $25,000 to$30,000 per side for the device and the associated physician and hospital fees, which vary. Most private payors, and imminently Medicare, cover the vast majority of the cost. Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor are the two most common neurological movement disorders. Parkinson's disease afflicts approximately 1 million Americans; Essential Tremor, about 1.5 million. Tremor is a common symptom of both conditions, but Parkinson's also causes rigidity, slowness of movement and poor balance. Both can lead to significant disability and loss of independence. Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. More information about Activa Therapy is available online at www.newhopeforparkinsons.com. Any statements made about the company's anticipated financial results and regulatory approvals are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 26, 2002. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Note to Editors: Additional information and graphics related to Activa Therapy are available online at www.activapresspage.com. CONTACT: Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis Media: Joe McGrath, 763/505-2634 [log in to unmask] or Investors: Kevin Lee, 763/505-2695 [log in to unmask] URL: http://www.businesswire.com LOAD-DATE: February 6, 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn