Thursday, April 23, 2026

CMS Announces "RAPID" Coverage for Breakthrough Devices - More to Follow

CMS Announces RAPID Pathway for Breakthrough Devices;  "Cuts Red Tape"

On April 23, CMS issued a press release annoucing a new CMS-FDA collaboration for Breakthrough Devices, called the RAPID Pathway.   The pathway will RAPIDly see the release of a proposed NCD, for 30 days comment, concurrent with FDA approval.   CMS will "pause" the TCET NCD-CED pathway ("Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies") to focus on RAPID.   

We'll know more about the RAPID program when a full description is published in the Federal Register in the coming days.

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-fda-announce-rapid-coverage-pathway-accelerate-patient-access-life-changing-medical-devices

The Federal Register publication should appear here when it's ready:

https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services


A couple days ago Politico noted that RKF Jr had mentioned pending pathways for FDA BT devicecs in one of his Hill testimony sessions.   

Julie Ramage on RAPID, here.  Foley Hoag here.   STAT here.  Fierce Healthcare here.