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A Tucson-based artificial-heart maker will now get reimbursed by Medicare for patients who are awaiting heart transplants, the company plans to announce today.

As of May 1, Medicare patients who have end-stage biventricular failure are eligible to receive SynCardia Systems Inc.'s CardioWest artificial heart as a bridge to human-heart transplant.

The decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, lessens the six-figure price tag on the potentially lifesaving devices. SynCardia spokesman Don Isaacs said equipment costs alone can run about $106,000.

Before the decision, SynCardia said its temporary Total Artificial Heart was covered by about half of insurers, including Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield. CMS decided in 1986 not to reimburse any artificial heart-pumping device, which included ventricular-assist devices and the artificial heart, the company said.

Later this year, SynCardia will submit an application to the FDA to conduct a clinical study of the new Companion Drive System, a portable power unit for the CardioWest heart that is already approved for use in Europe. Eleven additional U.S. hospitals are in the process of gaining CardioWest certification so they can be part of this study.

Both the CMS approval and the clinical study, SynCardia CEO Rodger Ford said, "will finally allow hospitals to be adequately reimbursed for the life-saving services they provide."