After a demonstration of their safety and success, these programs were later expanded into the outpatient setting.328 Over the years, CR programs have continued to adapt and to address the broad range of factors affecting cardiovascular outcomes, which has allowed them to evolve from purely supervised exercise programs to compre- hensive secondary prevention programs. The core components of contemporary CR programs include baseline patient assessments, nutritional counseling, risk factor management (lipids, BP, weight, diabetes mellitus, and smoking), psychosocial interventions, and physical activ- ity with counseling and exercise training.329 As a result of the broad effects of exercise training and the multiple components of these programs, CR has been shown to improve a wide range of health factors. Significant improvements have been demonstrated in CAD risk factors, functional capacity, vas- cular conditioning, and psychosocial well-being, all of which likely contribute to the robust effects of CR on overall clinical Among Medicare beneficiaries who have undergone CABG, patients are covered for up to 36 sessions of CR over the course of 1 year after the incident surgical hospitalization; other medical payers offer similar coverage plans. 