Osteoarthritis Knee-Treatment Device Firms Clash Over Physician Fees
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Genzyme is urging CMS to retain a single HCPCS procedure billing code for the three hyaluronic acid-based devices competing with its Synvisc
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CMS Bends Knee Injection Code Policy Under Pressure From Genzyme
CMS reversed course with a Dec. 14 decision to pay for viscosupplement injections for osteoarthritic knees under four distinct codes in 2007 following persistent pressure from the products' manufacturers
CMS Bends Knee Injection Code Policy Under Pressure From Genzyme
CMS reversed course with a Dec. 14 decision to pay for viscosupplement injections for osteoarthritic knees under four distinct codes in 2007 following persistent pressure from the products' manufacturers
Knee injection HCPCS code
CMS finalizes its proposal to assign all hyaluronic acid-based knee injection treatments for osteoarthritis to a single HCPCS code, effective Jan. 1. The current two-code system differentiates between chemically altered and natural hyaluronate products. Genzyme's Synvisc falls under the former category and is currently paid more than its competitors. Johnson & Johnson/DePuy Mitek (Orthovisc), Sanofi-Aventis (Hyalgan) and Smith & Nephew (Supartz) have petitioned CMS to create distinct codes for their respective devices based on molecular weight (1"The Gray Sheet" June 20, 2005, p. 3)...