Medicare relaxes heart device policy

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not reduce coverage requirements for implantable cardioverter defibrillators, Modern Healthcare reports. Instead, Medicare "cut regulatory burden" for hospitals and surgeons looking to implant the heart devices.

Why it matters: The government's decision to relax the coverage policies comes two years after more than 500 hospitals had to pay $280 million to settle allegations they billed Medicare for the heart devices even though they violated Medicare's rules.