,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ccbj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #bc1 #bjac,mr4
 ,buc%on introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,ways &       
,means1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee on 
,en]gy & ,comm]ce1 = a p]iod to be      
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to ensure          
appropriate cov]age ( v5tricul> assi/   
devices "u ! ,m$ic>e program "u title   
,,xviii ( ! ,social ,security ,act1 & = 
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,m$ic>e ,v5tricul>     
,assi/ ,device ,access ,act ( #bjac4    
#b4 ,f9d+s2 purpose  7a7 ,f9d+s         
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,v5tricul>
 assi/ance devices are me*anical blood  
pumps t surgeons atta* to a damag$ or   
weak5$ native he>t to assi/ 9 pump+     
blood4  7#b7 ,"u its cov]age policy z ( 
! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !       
,m$ic>e program cov]s v5tricul> assi/   

devices = ,m$ic>e b5efici>ies t meet    
c]ta9 crit]ia aft] op5-he>t surg]y1 t   
are approv$ & li/$ z c&idates = he>t    
transplant by a ,m$ic>e-approv$ he>t    
transplant c5t]1 & = ^? :o are n        
eligible = a he>t transplant4  7#c7 ,!  
,m$ic>e program does n curr5tly cov]    
,m$ic>e b5efici>ies = v5tricul> assi/   
devices :o are-- 7,a7 und]go+ an        
evaluation to det]m9e _! c&idacy = he>t 
transplantation2 or  7,b7 pot5tial he>t 
transplant c&idates1 b :o are curr5tly n
 eligible = he>t transplantation because
 ( a contra9dication t may be favorably 
modifi$ by ! use ( a v5tricul> assi/    
device4  7#d7 ,approximately #dj p]c5t (
 pati5ts :o receive a v5tricul> assi/   
device are n eligible = a he>t          
transplant initially1 b may become      
eligible z ! v5tricul> support improves 
_! ov]all heal?4  7b7 ,purpose ,!       
purpose ( ?is ,act is to ensure ,m$ic>e 
b5efici>ies ) he>t failure h appropriate
 access to v5tricul> assi/ devices4  #c4
 ,revision ( ,m$ic>e v5tricul> assi/    

device national cov]age policy  7a7 ,9  
g5]al ,not)/&+ section                  
#ahfb7;a77#a77;,a7 ( ! ,social ,security
 ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciey7a77#a77;,a77
 or any o!r provision ( law1 ! ,secret>y
 ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices 79 ?is      
section ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>y7 %all   
revise ! ,m$ic>e national cov]age       
det]m9ation 7z def9$ 9 section          
#ahfi7;f77#a77;,b7 ( ! ,social ,security
 ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4                    
#acie;ff7f77#a77;,b777 relat+ to cov]age
 ( v5tricul> assi/ devices to ext5d !   
cov]age ( su* devices "u title ,,xviii (
 ! ,social ,security ,act appli$ z ( !  
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act ) respect  
to individuals approv$ = he>t           
transplantation to also apply to-- 7#a7 
individuals :o are und]go+ an evaluation
 to det]m9e c&idacy = he>t              
transplantation2 &  7#b7 individuals :o 
w\ld be pot5tial he>t transplant        
c&idates1 b are n s eligible because ( a
 contra9dication t may be favorably     
modifi$ by ! use ( a v5tricul> assi/    

device4  7b7 ,con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is   
section %all be con/ru$-- 7#a7 to limit 
cov]age ( v5tricul> assi/ devices =     
,m$ic>e b5efici>ies :o meet ! ,m$ic>e   
crit]ia = cov]age ( v5tricul> assi/     
devices z ( ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is     
,act2 or  7#b7 z prev5t+ ! ,secret>y f  
exp&+ its cov]age decision beyond !     
cov]age requir$ "u ?is section4  7c7    
,revision ( national cov]age decision2  
effective date  7#a7 ,revision (        
national cov]age decision ,! ,secret>y  
%all use ! processes describ$ 9 section 
#ahfb7l7 ( ! ,social ,security ,act 7#db
 ,u4,s4,c4 #aciey7l77 to revise its     
national cov]age det]m9ation relat+ to  
v5tricul> assi/ devices to incorporate !
 requirem5ts ( ?is section4  7#b7       
,effective date ,! revis$ cov]age       
decision describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 %all  
apply to v5tricul> assi/ devices furni%$
 on or aft] ! date t is #cj days aft] ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 reg>dless 
( ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y completes ! 
process requir$ "u su* p>agraph4