The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today proposed coverage policy updates meant to increase access to VADs and artificial hearts. The policy updates, if approved, could be good news for major VAD makers Abbott (NYSE:ABT) and Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) — as well as people with heart failure who are waiting for a heart transplant or don’t […]
LVAD
Abbott LVAD wins FDA approval for implantation without open heart surgery
Abbott (NYSE:ABT) today announced that FDA has approved implantation of its HeartMate 3 LVAD via lateral thoracotomy — a less invasive approach than open-heart surgery. The approval comes about a year and a half after Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) won a similar approval for the competing HeartWare HVAD pump. Lateral thoracotomy involves a surgeon making an incision between a person’s […]
