Feb 4, 2003
Guidant Provides Summary of Evidence for Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee on ICD Therapy

Background Materials Available for Review Online

Indianapolis, Ind. - Guidant today announced that background materials from Guidant have been provided to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a meeting of CMS'' Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee (MCAC) on February 12 to discuss the MADIT (Multicenter Automated Defibrillator Implantation Trial) II coverage decision.

As part of the information exchange between the agency and Guidant, these background materials are available for review at the MCAC website at http://www.cms.gov/ncdr/trackingsheet.asp?id=39 and Guidant''s online newsroom at http://www.guidant.com/newsroom/medicare.htm.

The CMS Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at the Baltimore Convention Center to discuss and make recommendations concerning the quality of the evidence and related issues for the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). This meeting was scheduled by CMS based on a request from Guidant to expand the current coverage indication to include MADIT II patients. The MCAC is advisory in nature, and consists of clinicians and other medical experts as well as non-voting industry and consumer representatives. Final decisions related to national medical coverage policies rest solely with CMS.

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for a better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture of more than 10,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life''s most threatening medical conditions. For more information, visit www.guidant.com.

NOTE TO MEDIA: For more information about Guidant, including its products and services, please visit the company''s newsroom at www.guidant.com/newsroom.