Osiris Therapeutics, Inc (Columbia, MD) announced today that it has received transitional pass-through status from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), with C-Codes being designated for Grafix®, a three-dimensional cellular matrix designed for application directly to acute and chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers and burns.

  The product has also been assigned pass-through status under Medicare's outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS), effective July 1, 2012. These codes will assist in facilitating reimbursement when Grafix products are used to treat Medicare patients with acute and chronic wounds in the hospital outpatient department and ambulatory surgical center settings.

  CMS also issued a preliminary positive decision for the assignment of permanent Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Q-codes for Grafix. If the decision is made permanent, it is anticipated that the Q-codes would be available starting in January 2013. The assignment of unique Q-codes will assist in facilitating reimbursement in the physician office setting, offering additional access for Medicare patients.

  Research shows that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in normal skin play a critical role in the wound healing process. Grafix is the only commercially available product that provides viable, endogenous MSCs together with growth factors and an optimal tissue matrix, making it well suited to promote active dermal healing.

  Visit http://www.osiristx.com for more information.