Medical technology company LivaNova PLC (Nasdaq: LIVN) announced that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will assign VNS Therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) new patient implants to New Technology Ambulatory Payment Classification 1580, while end-of-service procedures are upgraded to Level 5 APC under the 2026 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System.

Effective 1 January 2026, Medicare reimbursement for VNS Therapy procedures will rise by approximately 48% for new implants and 47% for end-of-service procedures compared with 2025 rates. LivaNova expects the increase to improve hospital economics, reduce barriers to procedure adoption and expand patient access to its outpatient neuromodulation treatment.

VNS Therapy, for patients aged four and older with focal seizures, has demonstrated strong real-world effectiveness. The CORE-VNS study showed median seizure reductions at 36 months of 80% for focal onset motor seizures with impaired awareness and 95% for focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures. The minimally invasive, extra-cranial procedure is well tolerated, with common side effects including hoarseness, sore throat, shortness of breath and coughing.

Headquartered in London, LivaNova PLC develops medical technologies for neurological and cardiac conditions, employs around 3,000 people, and operates in more than 100 countries.