Skip to Main Content

View Public Comments for Artificial Hearts

Use the browser below to select the Comment Period for which you would like to view the comments for the selected document. You can use the alphabetical links above the results table to jump to comments submitted by a commenter whose last name starts with that letter. Select the ‘Expand All Comments’ link to view all the full comments, and click the ‘Collapse All Comments’ link to view only the abstract for all comments. Select the ‘More’ link in the Comment to view the full text of the specific comment in a new window.
The first (earliest) set of comments are displayed by default in the Public Comment Results section. To view additional Comment Periods, use the radio button options and select the "Submit" button.
An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

      Select one period.



[26 Comments]
Page 1 of 2
FirstPrev12NextLast
First character of titleCommenterComment Information
A
Anderson, Mark Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

Stephen Phurrough, M.D., M.P.A.
Director, Coverage and Analysis Group
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
C1-13-18
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850
Re: Public Comments in Response to the National More opens in new window

B
Bostic, Robin Title: Vice President Health Policy and Government Affair
Organization: Thoratec
Date: 08/30/2007
Comment:

Thoratec Corporation would once again like to thank the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for their continued consideration and updating of NCD 20.9 - Artificial Hearts and Related Devices which includes the national Medicare coverage More opens in new window

B
Burns, Kevin Title: Chief Financial Officer
Organization: University Medical Center Corporation
Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

The SynCardia CardioWest Total Artificial Heart
(TAH)is an important life-saving tool, proven in
its effectiveness, that should receive immediate
Medicare National Coverage.

University Medical Center has successfully More opens in new window

C
Christensen, Dawn Title: Circulatory Support Coordinator
Organization: Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Date: 08/22/2007
Comment:

I am writing regarding the national coverage review of artificial hearts. In announcing the review, you asked about training. Since the circulatory support team at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has been trained on the use of the More opens in new window

C
Cook, Mark Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

CardioWest TAH: The TAH really is the answer to
many broken hearts, and there are many who hope
CMS will approve coverage of this mature, life
saving option. No one is greater testament to
this than the numerous patients who are More opens in new window

C
Copeland, Jack Title: Professor and Chief Cardiothoracic Surgery
Organization: University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center
Date: 08/15/2007
Comment:

8/14/2007

I am writing in response to the request for public opinion on approval of the CardioWest Total Artificial Heart by CMS for Medicare patients.

I have worked with the total artificial heart since 1985. We implanted the first More opens in new window

D
Duval, John Title: Chief Executive Officer
Organization: MCV Hospitals, VCU Health System
Date: 08/28/2007
Comment:

Medicare national coverage for SynCardia’s CardioWest Total Artificial Heart is essential to providing this advanced technology to the country’s sickest population burdened with complex, advanced heart failure. This device is designed for More opens in new window

G
Gray, Laman Title: Professor of Surgery
Organization: University of Louisville
Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

I welcome this opportunity to pvide comment on Medicare coverage for artificial hearts and in particular the AbioCor Implantable Replacement Heart. I am Professor of Surgery, Director of Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the More opens in new window

G
griffith, bartley Date: 08/15/2007
Comment:

I write to express my support for artificial
heart technology and specifically the CardioWeat-
Syncardia device. I implanted more than 20 of
the original Jarvik 7 TAHs in the 1980''s and
until recently had adopted the LVAD as More opens in new window

H
Hallinan, William Title: Clinical Director
Organization: University of Rochester Medical Center
Date: 08/10/2007
Comment:

RE : NCA title (NCA for Artificial Hearts) / CAG
# (CAG-00322N)

The coverage for Artificial Hearts is extremely
vital to improving outcomes and increasing the
cost effectiveness of the treatment of Heart
Failure. Only More opens in new window

H
Hess, MD, Michael Title: Medical Director CHF and Heart Transplant
Date: 08/30/2007
Comment:

The SynCardia Systems total artificial heart (TAH) has become a life saving device for patients with biventricular heart failure. This pulsatile device was approved for marketing by the FDA in October 2004 after clinical trials demonstrated its More opens in new window

K
Kasirajan, Vig Title: Chair, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Organization: Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
Date: 08/11/2007
Comment:

The goal of device capable of replacing the
function of the heart was the original intent of
the NIH study in the 1960s. Due to limitations in
technology, ventricular assist devices instead
become available earlier. The current More opens in new window

K
Kormos, Robert Organization: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

To All:

After reading the extensive comments by many learned individuals in the feild I can do little but add my strong endorsemtn of making a decision to allow coverage for the Total Artificial Heart.

Right heart dysfunction is not an More opens in new window

M
Martin, Jack Title: MD
Organization: Main Line Health System
Date: 08/22/2007
Comment:

I am writing regarding the national coverage
review for artificial hearts (NCA for artificial
hearts). The CardioWest device as documented in
a landmark publication in the New England
Journal of Medicine has a proven track More opens in new window

M
Massie, Barry Title: Professor of Medicine
Organization: University of California, San Francisco
Date: 08/28/2007
Comment:

I am wrting in response to the request for
comments concerning the upcoming coverage
decision for the CardioWest "total artificial
heart". Although I am not a transplant
cardiologist, I do have a considerable experience More opens in new window

M
Mayes, Gwen Organization: Abiomed, Inc.
Date: 08/30/2007
Comment:

ABIOMED, Inc. welcomes the opportunity to provide public comments on the re-consideration of the National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) for artificial hearts and related devices and make specific recommendations for coverage for the AbioCor® More opens in new window

M
Moazami, Nader Title: Associate Professor of Surgery
Organization: Washington University School of Medicine
Date: 08/27/2007
Comment:

I am writing this letter in strong support for
consideration of the CardioWest TAH for approval
by CMS. Washington University in St Louis is
currently one of the approved sites for
implantation of this device. As the Surgical More opens in new window

M
Morris, Rohinton Title: Surgical Director- Heart Transplant & Mech. Assist
Organization: University of Pennsylvania
Date: 08/21/2007
Comment:

This letter is in expression of support for artificial heart technology and in specific, the TAH-t Cardiowest manufactured by Syncardia. Knowing that LVADs have had a long history of success as bridge-to-transplant, I laud the scientific More opens in new window

N
Nicholas, Smedira Date: 08/24/2007
Comment:

I have had the opportunity to implant the Syncardia TAH in 6 extremely ill patients with biventricular failure. Although they have not all survived, the pump is extremely reliable and very simple to operate. In fact, of the the many devices More opens in new window

O
Olsen, Don B. Title: President
Organization: Utah Artificial Heart Institute
Date: 08/29/2007
Comment:

David Mackstaller
8/27/07
davidmac@Anthem-Equity.com

Sir: I write in response to the request for support of financial coverage for the Syncardia total artificial heart as a bridge to cardiac transplantation.

I am not a physician More opens in new window

P
Portner, Peer Title: Consulting Professor
Date: 08/30/2007
Comment:

The Syncardia CardioWest biventricular
replacement system (artificial heart) has
demonstrated excellent outcomes in the bridge-to-
transplant application (NEJM, other) and fills a
need in patients with severe biventricular More opens in new window

R
Reeb, Brigitte Title: Administrative Director
Organization: The Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center
Date: 08/27/2007
Comment:

To Whom it May Concern:

As a Medicare-approved heart transplant center, and high volume ventricular assist device center (for both bridge to transplant and destination therapy), we strongly support the current review of the National Coverage More opens in new window

R
Rodgers, George Title: Secretary
Organization: American College of Cardiology
Date: 08/26/2007
Comment:

RE: CAG-00322
I am the Chair of the ACC Board of Governors.
I strongly support approval of the Cardio West
temporary Total Artificial Heart. This life
saving device is the best bridge we have to More opens in new window

S
Snyder, Kara Title: Clinical Nurse Specialist
Organization: University Medical Center
Date: 08/31/2007
Comment:

I wish to express my support for CMS
reimbursement for the TAH-t. As a registered
nurse, I have witnessed the improved quality of
life experienced by patients and their families
as a result of this technology. The data More opens in new window

V
Vetrovec, M.D., George Title: Kimmerling Prof. of Medicine & Chair of Cardiology
Organization: VCU Health System/VCU Pauley Heart Center
Date: 08/30/2007
Comment:

I am writing in support of Medicare Coverage for the SynCardia CardioWest Temporary Total Artificial Heart.

My experience has been through overall VCU Medical Center experience and my presentations regarding the published results of the use of More opens in new window

Page 1 of 2
FirstPrev12NextLast
64