by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 26, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Yesterday morning, 8 MACs issued nearly identical draft coverage policies for the use of CTPs (“skin subs”) in diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. (Note that the policy does not apply to pressure ulcers/injuries). In addition to the exhaustive documentation...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 22, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Miscellaneous Musings
The AMA has a very useful series called “What doctors wish patients knew about…“ The most recent one is about a condition called “misphonia.” This is a condition in which seemingly innocuous sounds can trigger an intense (and seemingly out of proportion)...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 15, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced plans to test prior authorization (PA) for 40 services related to blepharoplasty, botulinum toxin injections, rhinoplasty, panniculectomy, and vein ablation performed in Ambulatory Surgical...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 12, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
As anyone knows who has treated a patient with late effects of radiation to the bladder, the impact of HBO2 can be dramatic in terms of improving life-altering symptoms like radiation cystitis which causes bleeding and pain with urination. Some patients can bleed so...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 11, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
I am trying to find ways to visually depict our current situation with regard to Cellular and/or Tissue-based products (CTPs). Several things can be true at once: Package pricing in the hospital-based outpatient department (HOPD) limits the cost per PIECE that a...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 9, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight, Healthcare Payment Policy
United Healthcare has updated its Skin and Soft Tissue Substitutes policy effective May 1, 2024, which details the coverage and documentation criteria specifically for EpiFix or Grafix® (GrafixPL, GrafixPRIME and GrafixPL PRIME) (Non-Injectable). The policy also...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Mar 27, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Where will this end? Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Mar 25, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
I’ve posted previous blogs detailing what I’ve learned about the impact of establishing the Average Sales Price (ASP) for products, and the perverse impact that an established ASP seems to have. Here’s a visual example of the insanity of pricing and the problem with...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Mar 21, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
Last week I attended the inaugural Cellular, Acellular, and Matrix-like Product (CAMP) Summit. It was a very interesting and well-run meeting. I will digress to mention the acronym “CAMP” which is gaining traction over the more awkward (and possibly obsolete) Cellular...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Mar 19, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight, Healthcare Payment Policy
Five months ago, I posted a blog about the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posting special instructions on how to submit a claim for CTP/skin subs that was $100,000 or more. I was horrified. By way of background, you need to know that one of the...