Derma Sciences Announces Medicare Coverage Reinstated For MEDIHONEY® Products with Reimbursable Codes by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Derma Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:DSCI), a tissue regeneration company focused on advanced wound and burn care, announces that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has reinstated coverage and assigned a reimbursable code for MEDIHONEY® dressings effective immediately.

Edward J. Quilty, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Derma Sciences commented, "MEDIHONEY® dressings are exceptional, versatile and cost-effective advanced wound care dressings that have helped hundreds of thousands of patients suffering with non-healing wounds. We extend thanks to all our stakeholder groups for their work in support of reinstating coverage. We are pleased that CMS responded to the patients, wound care specialists, Wound Care Trade Associations and Members of Congress who spoke out about the importance of MEDIHONEY® products as a meaningful component in healing acute and chronic wounds."

Additionally, the four Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) that handle durable medical equipment (DME) issued policy adjustments over the last week. Importantly, the January 22, 2015 policy article, which introduced a new coverage standard and was the basis of the MEDIHONEY® products' coding change from covered to non-covered codes, has been rescinded effective June 12, 2015. An amended policy article, adopted by all four DME MACs and effective October 1, 2015, specifically confirms that coverage of multi-component dressings that contain medicinal honey will be based on the underlying covered components.

The assignment of this Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System or "HCPCS" code [A4649, miscellaneous surgical supply] immediately re-opens access to MEDIHONEY® products, the global leading and trusted line of medical grade honey products, for Medicare Part B patients with eligible wounds. About Derma Sciences, Inc. Derma Sciences is a tissue regeneration company focused on advanced wound and burn care. It offers a line of products with patented technologies to help better manage chronic and hard-to-heal wounds, many of which result from diabetes and poor vascular functioning. The Company sells AMNIOEXCEL® amniotic allograft membrane and AMNIOMATRIX® amniotic allograft suspension into the $500 million market for skin substitute products. Derma Sciences' MEDIHONEY® product line is the leading brand of honey-based dressings for the management of wounds and burns. The product has been shown in clinical studies to be effective in a variety of indications. TCC-EZ® is a gold-standard total contact casting system for diabetic foot ulcers. Other novel products introduced into the $14 billion global wound care market include XTRASORB® for better management of wound exudate, and BIOGUARD® for barrier protection against microbes and other contaminants. Its pharmaceutical product in development, aclerastide (a patented peptide analog of angiotensin), is currently in Phase 3 and 3b clinical trials for the closure of diabetic foot ulcers. Aclerastide is also in pre-clinical development for the prevention and reduction of scarring after surgical incision and wound closure. Aclerastide is also part of a BARDA grant program for the mitigation and treatment of skin damage associated with exposure to ionizing radiation. The Company also offers a full product line of traditional dressings.

Keywords for this news article include: Medicaid, Medicare, Legal Issues, Health Policy, Derma Sciences Inc..

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