Breakthrough AffloVest now reimbursed by Medicare and private health insurance

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AffloVest, the first-ever portable High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO) vest, is now approved for Medicare and private health insurance reimbursement.  Millions of Americans with respiratory disease can benefit from the innovative new airway clearance therapy vest that dramatically improves cough productivity and ease of breathing for chronic lung conditions such as severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Chronic Bronchitis, Cystic Fibrosis and other related ailments.

The AffloVest recently earned FDA 510k market clearance in the United States and HCPCS reimbursement codes, according to David Shockley, President of International Biophysics Corporation (IBC), which developed and now markets the product in the U.S.

"With both Medicare and private health insurance reimbursement approved for AffloVest, this breakthrough technology is affordably available to millions of patients now," Shockley said.  "Other airway clearance vests tether the patient by an air hose to bulky machines that must be plugged into a wall.  The AffloVest is the market's first portable, battery-operated HFCWO vest. Users can move about freely – even travel – during treatments, or sit comfortably in any position, even while lying down," Shockley said. 

A recent clinical study — conducted by Dr. Konrad Schultz at the Bad Reichenhall Clinic in Munich, Germany — reveals that AffloVest substantially improves cough productivity, making it easier for patients to clear their lungs and breathe more easily through a productive cough.   The study concluded: 

"With every single patient, a dramatic improvement in cough productivity and bronchial secretion viscosity was observed in combination with the pulmonary and orthopedic regimen of care. It became fundamentally easier for the patients to cough out mucus, because of the more fluid secretions and more productive cough provided by the introduction of High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation treatment with the AffloVest."

Weighing approximately 10 pounds, AffloVest is the lightest and most quiet device of its kind on the market today. Unlike other respiratory vest options, AffloVest provides adjustable levels of treatment intensity and multiple treatment modes. Doctors and patients can tailor their treatments to their needs, with settings that provide chest wall oscillation treatment on both the front and back of the vest.

The number of patients who can benefit from AffloVest is significant; for example, more than 10 million people in the United States currently live with COPD, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

AffloVest is available for Medicare and private health insurance reimbursement under the following Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code:

E0483 High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation

AffloVest is now available in five sizes – XS, S, M, L, XL – to serve both children and adults with chronic lung conditions.

AffloVest requires a physician's prescription and is available to U.S. patients through Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Home Medical Equipment (HME) retailers.

About International Biophysics Corporation

International Biophysics Corporation (IBC) is a privately held company that develops, manufactures, and sells a variety of complex medical devices. IBC's design and development capabilities include: CAD drawings/CAD interface, prototype development, initial product testing, tooling, mold design and manufacture, validation testing, and FDA submission. IBC is an ISO 13485 certified manufacturing company registered with the FDA, and is based in Austin, Texas. The distribution arm of IBC sells equipment and supplies ranging from centrifugal heart pumps, aortic punches, and blood suctioning wands. Its research and development team has also been involved in Portable Oxygen Concentrator development, dermatological laser devices, and other projects in various medical industries.

SOURCE International Biophysics Corporation