DANVERS, Mass.,  Abiomed, Inc., a leading provider of breakthrough heart support technologies, today announced that the Netherlands has approved new reimbursement coding and payment for the Impella product. The new coding allows for hospitals to receive funding for the use of the Impella technology in a broad set of clinical indications of heart disease through the process known as Diagnosis Treatment Combinations (Diagnose Behandeling Combinaties; DBCs), similar to the Medicare Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) system in the United States.

New reimbursement is a significant milestone for the recognition of Impella as a required therapy for treatment of heart disease in the European hospital setting.  The Netherlands has also been a leader in early clinical and cost effectiveness research of the Impella technology under the leadership of Dr. Jose Henriques at the Amsterdam Medical Center.

"We are encouraged that the Netherlands now provides reimbursement for Impella," said Michael R. Minogue, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Abiomed.  "The World Health Organization ranks the Netherlands as one of the top healthcare systems globally, based upon measurements of the overall level and distribution of health, responsiveness, and financial contribution to healthcare services." 

Source: Abiomed, Inc.