BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NinePoint Medical, Inc., a transformative medical device company pioneering the use of an advanced imaging platform for gastrointestinal applications, announced today that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published its 2017 final fee schedule. The annual update includes a material increase to the reimbursement rate for CPT Code 432521 (upper GI endoscopy with optical endomicroscopy), used for esophageal procedures using the NvisionVLE Imaging System with Real-time Targeting.
According to the final 2017 CMS fee schedule, starting January 1, 2017, the reimbursement rate for CPT code 43252 in the hospital out-patient setting increases 131% from $1,088.00 to $2,509.64, while the reimbursement rate for the same code in the ambulatory surgical center (ASC) setting increases 86% from $608.39 to $1,134.02.
The NvisionVLE Imaging System with Real-time Targeting employs proprietary Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technology allowing physicians to perform a Volumetric Laser Endomicroscopy procedure that produces real-time, high-resolution cross-sectional images. The system enables physicians to evaluate and mark tissue for potential disease that may not be visible with conventional medical imaging technologies such as white light endoscopy or ultrasound.
“The decision to increase reimbursement rates helps to validate the clinical need and benefit of using OCT in upper GI procedures,” commented Christopher R. von Jako, Ph.D., President and CEO of NinePoint Medical. “This economic improvement can help physicians bring our technology to more patients who suffer from esophageal disease.”
About Esophageal Disease
Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is
the fastest growing cancer in the western world, increasing in incidence
more than 7-fold over the past several decades.2 Barrett’s
esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),
affects more than 12 million American adults,3 and is
associated with a 30-fold increased risk of developing EAC.3
About the NvisionVLE® Imaging System
The
NvisionVLE
Imaging System provides a unique and clinically valuable new
perspective of esophageal disease: The ability to image within
the wall of the esophagus. By providing a high-resolution, real-time
scan of the esophagus using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) – a
technology similar to ultrasound but using infrared light rather than
sound waves - the system enables physicians to view structures not
evident with conventional imaging, and potentially identify disease that
would have otherwise been missed. With Real-time Targeting, physicians
can mark areas of interest, possibly leading to improved diagnosis and
more effective therapeutic decisions for patients. The NvisionVLE®
Imaging System has been cleared by the FDA and is commercially available
in the U.S.
About NinePoint Medical, Inc.
NinePoint
Medical is a privately-held medical device company that designs,
manufactures, and sells an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging
platform for clinical use in gastroenterology, pulmonology, urology,
gynecology, and ENT, for the evaluation of human tissue microstructure.
Using proprietary imaging and software technology, the Company is
committed to enabling quicker diagnosis of disease and more effective
treatments, while reducing the overall cost of healthcare. NinePoint
Medical is located in suburban Boston, Massachusetts. For more
information, please visit www.ninepointmedical.com.
References:
1. CPT code 43252 description: Upper
gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the
duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; with optical endomicroscopy
2.
Pohl H, Sirovich B, Welch HG. Esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence: are
we reaching the peak? Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19:1468-70
3.
Hayeck TJ, Kong CY, Spechler SJ, Gazelle GS, Hur C. The prevalence of
Barrett’s esophagus in the U.S.: estimates from a simulation model
confirmed by SEER data. Dis Esophagus 2010;23:451-7
