Am I Eligible for Cardiac Rehab?
Is cardiac rehab for me?
People of all ages with heart conditions can benefit from a cardiac rehab program.
You may benefit if you have or have experienced a:
- heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- heart condition, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), angina or heart failure
- heart procedure or surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, including coronary or balloon angioplasty and stenting), valve replacement, a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
Is cardiac rehab covered by insurance?
Medicare and most other insurers provide reimbursement for cardiac rehab undertaken after most of the conditions outlined above.
Exceptions include cardiac rehab in the wake of procedures to implant a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). And coverage after heart failure is limited to patients with a heart that has very limited ability to pump out blood. (In medical terms, this is called a “compromised ejection fraction,” which affects about half of the population with heart failure.)
Check with your medical team and insurer to determine if cardiac rehab is covered under your insurance plan.
