Analysts: Worst case unlikely in Medicare call on Boston Scientific’s Watchman anti-stroke device

The worst-case Medicare reimbursement scenario for Boston Scientific‘s (NYSE:BSX) Watchman anti-stroke device is unlikely to play out, according to a pair of analysts. Boston Scientific shares took a hit earlier this month after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed to limit coverage for the Watchman device, a transcatheter implant designed to seal off the left atrial appendage to prevent the formation of blood clots that could cause stroke. The FDA approved Watchman in March. The federal health insurer proposed to limit coverage for Watchman to patients in approved clinical trials who can’t take warfarin, an anti-coagulant drug. CMS also proposed a registry study with a 2nd arm of patients taking novel oral anticoagulants. Barclays analyst Matt Taylor and Leerink Partners analyst Danielle Antalffy each said this week that it’s unlikely that CMS will go that route after a comment period ends Dec. 9 and the final decision issues as expected Feb. 8, 2016. Taylor wrote that “it is more likely that the CMS final decision will cover Watchman more in-line with the spirit of the [investigational device exemption] trials than it is that CMS is asking for BSX to study a new population,” Taylor wrote, noting that a trial as described by CMS “would present some logistical challenges to enroll and also seems to be somewhat contrary to other language in the rule about patients that are contraindicated.” Antalffy agree...
Source: Mass Device - Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Tags: Cardiac Implants Wall Street Beat Boston Scientific Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Reimbursement Stroke Source Type: news