CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HIFU Prostate Services, LLC (HPS), the leading provider of HIFU technology to physician practices in the United States, is excited to announce that physicians in their network will treat five patients this week under their new Medicare program. This is a significant milestone as it means that HIFU as a treatment for localized prostate cancer is becoming more accessible to men in the US and to physicians interested in providing their patients with non-invasive treatment options.
“We feel this is a very meaningful announcement that will go a long way in moving HIFU as a treatment for prostate cancer more into the mainstream within the medical community,” said John Linn, chief executive office, HIFU Prostate Services. “Within the first month of the announcement of the code, we saw a substantial increase in inquiries about HIFU and already have a waiting list of Medicare patients.”
The patients this week will be treated by John Jurige, MD in Louisville, Ky. and by Dr. Michael Lazar, MD in San Francisco, Calif. HPS has plans to treat additional Medicare patients later in the year, including at hospitals in N.C. in early September and additional hospitals in the near term.
Jurige and Lazar have both been performing HIFU for more than 10 years so they are especially encouraged to see the treatment become more accessible to men with prostate cancer.
"We are pleased to offer Sonablate HIFU, with its advantages of precise prostate cancer ablation and minimal side effects, to a larger group of patients with Medicare coverage,” said Jurige. “Medicare and other payers are beginning to recognize the benefits and ultimate cost savings of this highly advanced therapy option."
"At last, after more than 10 years, Medicare has issued a facility billing code which will cover most of the expense of HIFU,” said Lazar. “This remarkable technology will now be available to Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer at a fraction of the cost."
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the C-code C9747 in July for HIFU ablation of the prostate. A C-code is a part of the CMS standard coding system, called the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System or HCPCS. C-codes are unique temporary codes that are only valid for Medicare claims for procedures performed in a hospital outpatient facility or ambulatory surgery center. This means the reimbursement code does not apply to procedures completed in an office setting or to services provided by a physician. The code only provides reimbursement to the hospital or ambulatory surgery center.
At this time, the code does not apply to commercial insurers; therefore, patients not covered by Medicare seeking to pursue HIFU should expect to pay treatment expenses out of pocket. For more information on reimbursement and coding visit https://www.hifuprostateservices.com/reimbursement/.
“In the near future, we anticipate making HIFU available at up to 25 more facilities throughout the country,” said Linn. “We see it as an important step towards bringing the revolutionary prostate cancer treatment to more men facing a prostate cancer diagnosis.”
About HIFU Prostate Services, LLC
HIFU Prostate Services (HPS) was founded to provide men access to a less invasive treatment option for prostate cancer that has the ability to eliminate cancer and preserve patient quality of life. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality of care, support, and technology to the patient and to the urology community for the treatment of localized prostate cancer using Sonablate® HIFU. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and with locations in 12 cities throughout the US. Learn more at http://www.hifuprostateservices.com.