CMS and FDA Launch RAPID Coverage Pathway to Accelerate Medicare Access for Breakthrough Medical Devices

Apr 24, 2026

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration launched the RAPID Coverage Pathway on Thursday to streamline Medicare coverage for breakthrough medical devices. RAPID, which stands for Regulatory Alignment for Predictable and Immediate Device coverage pathway, synchronizes the FDA's premarket safety review with Medicare's independent coverage determination process to enable faster reimbursement decisions after FDA authorization. The pathway addresses long-standing medical device industry complaints about lengthy Medicare coverage delays, though it stops short of the automatic reimbursement manufacturers have lobbied for. CMS aims to collect and review sufficient data before FDA authorization so Medicare can cover breakthrough devices soon after they reach the market, providing faster patient access to life-changing technologies.

Launch and Structure of the RAPID Coverage Pathway

▪RAPID stands for Regulatory Alignment for Predictable and Immediate Device coverage pathway.
▪Medicare's coverage determination process determines whether paying for devices is reasonable and necessary.
▪The goal of the RAPID Coverage Pathway is to collect and review enough data before FDA authorization that Medicare can cover products soon after they hit the market.
▪The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched the RAPID Coverage Pathway on Thursday.
▪The FDA's premarket review process determines whether products are safe and effective.
▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway applies to devices deemed breakthroughs by the Food and Drug Administration.
▪Under the RAPID pathway, CMS hopes to make coverage determinations soon after FDA authorization.
▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway aims to synchronize the FDA's premarket review process and Medicare's independent coverage determination process.

Industry Concerns About Medicare Reimbursement Delays

▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway aims to address long-standing industry complaints that it takes too long for Medicare to pay for innovative technology.

Limitations and Scope of the New Program

▪RAPID is the latest effort to speed up patient access to breakthrough devices.
▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway does not deliver automatic Medicare reimbursement for breakthrough devices.

Perspective of Medical device industry

▪The medical device industry has been lobbying for automatic Medicare reimbursement for breakthrough devices.
▪The medical device industry has complained that Medicare takes too long to pay for innovative technology.
▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway provides predictability for device manufacturers.

Perspective of Medicare beneficiaries

▪The RAPID Coverage Pathway aims to provide faster patient access to life-changing technologies.
▪Medicare beneficiaries previously experienced delays in accessing innovative medical devices due to lengthy coverage determination processes.

Perspective of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

▪CMS designed the RAPID Coverage Pathway to cut red tape for breakthrough medical device coverage.
▪CMS maintains that the RAPID Coverage Pathway preserves Medicare's independent coverage determination process.