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Heron Therapeutics Announces Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Granted Pass-through Payment Status for APONVIE™, Effective April 1, 2023
SAN DIEGO, March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of
About this update from Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"SAN DIEGO, March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, today announced that CMS has approved transitional pass-through status for APONVIE (aprepitant) injectable emulsion, which will be established for three years beginning April 1, 2023 under C-code C9145. APONVIE was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for intravenous use in adults for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and became commercially available on March 6, 2023.\nCMS grants pass-through status to certain new and innovative medical devices, drugs, and biological products. Drugs that are administered in the hospital-based outpatient department (HOPD) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) settings can have pass-through status and be reimbursed accordingly by Medicare. APONVIE will be reimbursed separately outside of the surgical bundle payment by Medicare at an Average Sales Price +6% in both the HOPD and ASC settings of care.\n\"The granting of pass-through status for APONVIE further facilitates patient access and streamlines billing and reimbursement for all HOPD and ASC settings, which is important with over 70% of the surgery opportunity being conducted in these outpatient settings of care,\" said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. \"Receiving pass-through only days after the U.S. launch is encouraging and will provide patients undergoing surgery that are at risk for developing PONV an easy to use, convenient, and highly effective treatment option.\"\n\"APONVIE is the only drug for the prevention of PONV with Medicare reimbursement in both the HOPD and ASC settings of care,\" said Kevin Warner, Pharm.D., Clinical Pharmacist in Saginaw, Michigan. \"Pass-through status for APONVIE will facilitate patient access to a highly effective PONV prophylactic medication while minimizing costs to the institution. Incorporation of APONVIE into enhanced recovery after surgery protocols as part of PONV prophylaxis for moderate to high-risk patients could improve postoperative outcomes and satisfaction for patients.\"\nImportant Safety Information for Patients\nAPONVIE should not be used:\nif you are...