On April 9, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposal to expand its national coverage determination (NCD) for Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) to include coverage for cases of suspected “masked hypertension.” Masked hypertension occurs when blood pressure measurements in a doctor’s office are lower than measurements outside a doctor’s office.

The current NCD for ABPM, a noninvasive diagnostic test that uses a device to track blood pressure over 24-hour cycles, only covers the test for patients with suspected “white coat hypertension” that are not currently being treated for high blood pressure under specific conditions.

The decision also proposes lowering the blood pressure threshold from 140/90 to 130/80 to align with the latest society recommendations regarding hypertension criteria.

ACC staff are reviewing the proposal further with members to develop written comments that build on those previously submitted. Additional public comments on the proposed NCD may be submitted here. A final decision will be issued no later than 60 days after the conclusion of the 30-day public comment period. Read the full proposal here.

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, White Coat Hypertension, Masked Hypertension, Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory, Hypertension, Medicare

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