Don Berwick, MD: National Coverage Decisions

December 1, 2013- National Coverage Decisions (NCDs) are used by CMS to set guidelines as to when certain therapies will be covered and reimbursed based on the best scientific clinical data. NCD’s tend to result in restricted usage of a formerly overused and costly therapy. Recently, two controversial therapies, Provenge for prostate cancer and the Edwards Lifesciences’ Sapien percutaneous aortic valve, have been restricted by NCD’s. We asked former Director of CMS, Dr. Don Berwick, whether this will be an increasingly used tool by Medicare to cut costs.