by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 29, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
On October 8th, Med Page Today published an opinion piece by physicians Thomas Lally and Michael Millie about the increasing use of skin substitutes in chronic wounds. Their independent medical group cares for more than 100,000 seniors across 17 states, which...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 28, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Guest Blog by Michael J. Crouch, CPC, CPMA, CHT-ADMIN Dr. Fife – In March, I provided feedback on a skin substitute graft (SSG) audit in which I was involved that was similar to the one Martha Kelso described. The Unified Program Integrity Contractor (UPIC)...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 27, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
I know by now everyone must think that I secretly work for one of the pharmaceutical companies that sells GLP-1-RAs but honestly, I am just a fascinated spectator. Obesity and its related diseases are a major contributor to the chronic wound epidemic and after more...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 22, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
Dr. Fife, Surprise! When industry changes the definition of obesity, they find more obesity! We needed something better than the BMI, but this is not the solution. If Waist:Hip ratio is used, the goal should not be “ideal for young people” because it is...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 20, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
I don’t know if this is good news or bad news, but the American population just got fatter thanks to a new definition of obesity in a study published in JAMA Open Network. If you are a “glass half full” sort of person, then the new definition might make it easier to...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 16, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitute Arrests, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Alexandra Gehrke and her husband, Jeffrey King of Arizona pleaded guilty to over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent Medicare and other insurance claims for, “expensive, medically unnecessary wound grafts that were applied to elderly and terminally ill patients.” The...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 13, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitute Arrests, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Eastern District of California | Fresno County Podiatrist and Sales Representative Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Submit False Claims Related to Skin Grafts | United States Department of Justice US Attorney Eric Grant has announced that Felipe Ruiz, a podiatrist at...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 1, 2025 | Pyoderma Gangrenosum
At last, something to help our patients with PG! There is a new, non-profit Patient and Family Advisory Council for PG and the kickoff meetings will take place on October 1 and October 7. This is a resource for practitioners, as well. Any provider or caregiver is...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 26, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
For the past 3 years I have been watching the “skin substitute” industry and asking what I thought were simple questions about pricing, payments, and the legality of things like “selling the spread.” I have been worried about the possibility that unwary...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 24, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
My favorite book as a child was The Emperor’s New Clothes. I was fascinated by the idea that a large group of people would “go along” with something that was obviously not true based on what they could easily see with their own eyes. I often think of that story when I...
