The American College of Cardiology (ACC), Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) released the following joint statement on the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) national coverage determination finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

"The ACC, STS and SCAI, appreciate CMS' efforts to evolve Medicare coverage for TAVR and enhance access to more patients as the evidence supporting this therapy continues to grow.

As TAVR expands into new patient populations, it is critical to preserve the quality framework that has contributed to its success. The preservation of the heart team, continued collaboration across specialties, collection of real-world evidence, outcomes monitoring and continuous quality improvement are the foundation of ensuring and improving outcomes for our patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Participation in national registries, externally benchmarked quality programs and rigorous outcomes reporting remain essential to preserving the high standards of care that have defined TAVR's success. The societies will continue to support the STS/ACC TVT Registry and other quality initiatives that promote evidence generation, patient safety, continuous improvement and health care value across the cardiovascular community."

Roxana Mehran, MD, FACC
President, The American College of Cardiology

Vinay Badhwar, MD, FACS, FACC
President, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

J. Dawn Abbott, MD, MSCAI
President, Society of Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions

Clinical Topics: Cardiac Surgery, Cardiovascular Care Team, Invasive Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention, Valvular Heart Disease, Aortic Surgery, Cardiac Surgery and VHD, Interventions and Structural Heart Disease

Keywords: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Heart Valve Diseases, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Aortic Valve, ACC Advocacy, Registries