Regulatory/Legislative News

Beginning this year, physicians and other qualified health care professionals will be able to separately bill Medicare for providing non-face-to-face chronic care management, or CCM, services, by billing CPT code 99490. In recognizing and paying for these non-face-to-face services, CMS has taken an important step toward recognizing that care coordination is an essential feature of providing high-quality primary care and that important aspects of this care occur when the patient is not in the office. We have described the scope of service in Part I and health information technology requirements in Part II. In Part III we discussed uncertainties surrounding patient eligibility, scope of services and patient consent. This article addresses implementation issues that physicians should keep in mind as they develop their capabilities to bill for CCM, particularly if they consider using third-party contract employees to provide CCM services.

OD-OS received FDA 510(k) clearance to market its Navilas 577+ ophthalmic laser system, according to a company release.

The FDA today announced the expanded approval of Lucentis 0.3 mg for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetic macular edema, according to a news release from the agency.

InSite Vision and Nicox have entered into a licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of InSite’s AzaSite, AzaSite Xtra and BromSite, according to a press release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted U.S. marketing approval to Pazeo, a solution for ocular allergy itch relief from Alcon.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Abbott’s +2.75 D and +3.25 D Tecnis one-piece multifocal IOLs, according to a press release.

The Finnish Medicines Agency in Finland and the Ministry of Health in Luxembourg have granted Iluvien marketing authorization for the treatment of vision impairment associated with chronic diabetic macular edema, according to a press release from Alimera Sciences.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the creation of intracorneal pockets using the iFS advanced femtosecond laser system, according to a press release from Abbott.

WAILEA, Hawaii – The “good news” in 2015 is that ophthalmology is a growth industry, according to Kevin J. Corcoran, COE, CPC, FNAO.

On May 30, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Omidria. It is used during cataract and lens replacement surgery to maintain pupil size by preventing intraoperative miosis and to reduce postoperative pain. A 4 mL single-patient-use vial of Omidria is diluted in a standard 500 mL container of balanced salt irrigating solution for use during the procedure; it requires no change in the surgeon’s operating routine.