Cardiac Event Detection

Cardiac Event Detection (CED) is covered for patients with infrequent or suspected paroxysmal arrhythmias when longer-term monitoring is more likely to capture events than a 24-hour EKG, for assessing antiarrhythmic drug efficacy, and for post-surgical/ablative arrhythmia monitoring. Coverage requires non-implantable, patient- or auto-activated event recorders with symptom-related or post-symptom recording and a 24-hour staffed receiving station; it is a 30-day packaged service that generally should not be repeated within 30 days or within a year absent new symptoms. Several exclusions apply (hospital/ER/SNF settings, patients unable to activate devices, routine screening, relay-only systems, shared devices), and monitoring beyond 30 days requires physician justification.

"Covered when symptom frequency is limited or in asymptomatic patients at risk for clinically significant arrhythmias and a longer monitoring period is more likely to capture, characterize, or docum..."