July 13, 2006
IVIG Supply Index represents FFF's aggregate inventory of all IVIG products for our customers who have established product allocations with us. Red represents 21 days supply or less, yellow is 22 to 29 days, green is 30 days supply or more.
From All Headline News
Biotech To Begin Human Tests Of Needle-Free Bird Flu Vaccine
LINK...

From the CDC
CDC's Advisory Committee Recommends Human Papillomavirus Virus Vaccination  LINK...

From the Orange County Register
Clinic Accused of Diluting Drugs  LINK...

From Food Navigator
Spain becomes 14 EU state to report bird flu  LINK...

From Talecris
Talecris Biotherapeutics to Add Pathogenic Prion Removal Verification to Thrombate III® Labeling   LINK...

From Merck
Merck's New Cervical Cancer Vaccine, Gardasil®, Unanimously Recommended by CDC Advisory Panel for Vaccination of Girls and Women 11 to 26 Years   LINK...

From Health and Human Services
HHS Announces Additional $225 Million for State and Local Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Efforts   LINK...

FFF Welcomes Two New Additions to the Wow! Customer Care Team

FFF Enterprises is pleased to introduce the newest additions to the Wow! Customer Care Team: Mary Stumpf, senior director of sales operations and Robert Keith, customer service manager.

"We are very pleased to add Mary and Robert to our team of customer care professionals," said Patrick M. Schmidt, president and CEO of FFF. "Our Wow! Customer Care representatives make up one of the most important operations at FFF, because they are in contact with our customers with such frequency. I know Mary and Robert will assure that each of those contacts leaves the customer saying 'Wow!'"

Mary joins FFF with more than 25 years of customer service experience. Working in all aspects of operations and customer service, Mary has helped build several call centers from the ground up. She enjoys being part of the FFF family and appreciates the company's integrity and mission of Helping Healthcare Care. She can already see that FFF is well supported and respected in the industry.

Robert brings 15 years of customer service experience to FFF Enterprises. He values the culture at FFF, and is confident that his team will maintain FFF's commitment to Wow! Customer Care — listening and responding to meet every customer's needs.

Please join FFF in welcoming Mary and Robert. They can be reached at 800-843-7477 or at mstumpf@fffenterprises.com and rkeith@fffenterprises.com.









Red represents 21 days supply or less, yellow is 22 to 29 days, green is 30 days supply or more.





IVIG Medicare Payment Increases — 2006
(Applicable to physicians, clinics, hospital outpatient/ambulatory care and home infusion providers*)
Code
Description
Unit
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
J1566
Immune globulin, powder
500mg
$  22.222
$  22.261
$  24.899
J1567
Immune globulin, liquid
500mg
$  28.361
$  29.090
$  30.116
  1. The most current (July 2006 - September 2006) Medicare "approved amount" for IVIG reflects an increase over the prior period for powdered or lyophilized products by $2.63 per half-gram or $5.26 per gram. The liquid form "approved amount" was increased by $1.02 or $2.04 per gram.

  2. In contrast to an original report by Pharmacy Practice News, a nationwide investigation of allowed reimbursement levels for G0332 through all Medicare Part B contractors revealed that they are variable with methodology based upon "reasonable and customary" within each geographic area. The higher rates allowed for this code prevail in Northern California with San Francisco the highest in the nation at $111.69. Other areas with high costs of living indicate allowables at $80+ while other lower cost areas (South and Southeast) allow less than $60 per infusion encounter.

  3. CMS apparently assumed that reimbursement for this temporary charge would compensate for the loss of revenue for IVIG and its administration but numerous providers (hospital outpatient/ambulatory care and physicians) are constantly refusing to provide ongoing chronic therapy for Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare Part B Preadministration Code — Valid for claims from January — December 2006
G0332
Preadministration-related services for intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin, per infusion encounter (Applicable only to physicians and hospital outpatient/ambulatory care)

*Medicare allowables are not the actual amounts reimbursed by the carrier but rather 20% less than shown since Medicare is an 80% program — (The 20% remainder is considered the co-payment payable by the beneficiary or from beneficiary supplemental or secondary plans)
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BioSupply Trends is published by FFF Enterprises, the nation's most trusted distributor of biopharmaceuticals, plasma products and vaccines. FFF Enterprises is accelerating the availability of products, from development to delivery. Click here to contact FFF Enterprises or call 800-843-7477.

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