CardioNet (Nasdaq: BEAT), announced today that on Friday, July 10, 2009,
it received a letter from Highmark Medicare Services stating effective
September 1, 2009 Highmark was adjusting its reimbursement rate for
MCOT™ services to $754 per service. This reimbursement change affects
all providers covered under CPT Code 93229.
Randy Thurman, Chairman, President and CEO of CardioNet, Inc., said,
“CardioNet strongly believes that this reduction is unjustified and will
immediately pursue with Highmark and CMS a methodology that
appropriately values MCOT™ technology and related services. This review
with Highmark and CMS will reinforce for Medicare the demonstrated
benefit of Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry™ in detecting cardiac
arrhythmias and improving the health of Medicare beneficiaries.
“We are strong proponents and supporters of the very real need to manage
the cost of healthcare. We believe that early diagnosis through
innovation in technology is fundamental to the provision of high quality
health care and a cost efficient US healthcare system. Nearly 250,000
patients have been enrolled in MCOT™ to date with physicians and
patients greatly benefiting from the CardioNet MCOT™ technology and
service. We have made it our mission at CardioNet to educate the medical
community about the value of wireless medicine in the diagnosis and
detection of disease and we will further increase our efforts to
demonstrate its potential to substantially lower costs to both patients
and payors.”
CardioNet has previously indicated that while it had been aware Highmark
Medicare Services was conducting a normal review of the reimbursement
rate for MCOT™, it had received no indication of any rate adjustment or
the specific timing of a Highmark decision prior to being notified on
July 9, 2009. During a July 9 communication, Highmark reported that
CardioNet would receive a letter notifying it of a change in
reimbursement including the exact amount of the change. That letter
arrived July 10, 2009.
Based on the Company’s ongoing discussions with Highmark and CMS and the
Company’s desire for a re-evaluation of reimbursement that it is
pursuing, but cannot assure will be realized, the Company believes it is
prudent to withdraw previously stated 2009 guidance at this time.
About CardioNet
CardioNet is the leading provider of ambulatory, continuous, real-time
outpatient management solutions for monitoring relevant and timely
clinical information regarding an individual's health.