CommercialCoverageMedium impact
Total Artificial Hearts and Implantable Ventricular Assist Devices
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi·MS · Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiology, Critical Care·Medical Policy
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
BCBS Mississippi updated their medical policy for Total Artificial Hearts and Implantable Ventricular Assist Devices, providing comprehensive coverage criteria and device specifications. The policy includes current FDA recalls and safety alerts for HeartMate devices and cybersecurity issues with Impella controllers that may affect billing and authorization processes.
Action Required
Immediately: Review current patients with HeartMate II, HeartMate 3, and Impella devices for FDA recall status. Billing team should verify device serial numbers and FDA clearance status before submitting claims. Update prior authorization requests to reference current policy A.7.03.11 and ensure device eligibility per FDA recalls. Coordinate with cardiothoracic team to document approved devices from policy tables.