Several leading medical organizations and health care governing bodies in the U.S. are the groups most vocal against EECP treatment. There are documented examples and indicators proving that people in high places want to sweep EECP under the rug.
- People who need EECP treatment are unable to walk into an outpatient clinic and get EECP unless they are nearly dying from advanced cardiovascular disease.
- People with early stages of angina pectoris cannot get EECP although the most research has been done in support of EECP as a proven angina treatment. EECP was approved in 1995 by the FDA for just angina.
- People with stroke are unable to get EECP, although the treatment is known to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the arteries and naturally bypass blockages caused by plaque.
- EECP is never available as a first treatment option prior to costly and painful heart bypass surgery, angioplasty or stents.
- Although the majority of the cardiology community is against EECP as a first treatment option, the treatment can only be prescribed by a cardiologist or cardio-thoracic surgeon.
- If people are candidates for EECP and at the end stage of cardiovascular disease, only 35 hours of treatment is permitted for reimbursement by Medicare over a lifetime.
- If someone has had open-heart surgery, angioplasty and stents; if they have high-levels of angina; if they have congestive heart failure; if they are on maximum medication; if they already had open-heart surgery and cannot have another operation...then the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will reimburse physicians for EECP for only 35 hours of treatment prescribed only by a cardio-thoracic surgeon or cardiologist.
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CMS refuses to permit reimbursement of EECP as an early treatment option for cardiovascular disease. In fact, CMS is the organization that put the end-of-life criteria on EECP. Why? This controversy plagues the field of EECP care.
