New Hampshire’s Medicaid program adds Aerocrine’s FeNO test to their fee schedule
SOLNA, Sweden- 12 April, 2012-Aerocrine AB (OMX Nordic Exchange: AERO) today announced that New Hampshire’s Medicaid program adds FeNO reimbursement coverage, bringing the total to 32 states and the District of Columbia that now cover this test which is used in the assessment and management of asthma
The State of New Hampshire has included Aerocrine’s test of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) to the Medicaid fee schedule. This means positive coverage and reimbursement of this important asthma test for approximately 130,000 patients in New Hampshire.
Asthma, which affects more than 20 million people in the US alone, is often over and undertreated. Physicians use FeNO to measure eosinophilic airway inflammation which is the primary type of inflammation in people with asthma. FeNO testing thus helps physicians know when to prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication such as an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and when not to. FeNO testing also helps physicians optimize inhaled corticosteroid dosing and assess adherence to anti-inflammatory therapy.
“We are delighted that New Hampshire Medicaid has made the decision to reimburse FeNO testing. By validating the need to test patients, physicians can now be more confident that they will be giving the right types of medication to the right patient at the right time,” said Amitha Harish, MD of Allergy Associates of New Hampshire. “I have had extensive clinical experience with the use of FeNO in asthma patients. It is an important biomarker for assessing and managing asthma patients,” added Dr. Harish.
Asthma is a complex chronic disease, always in the top 5 in terms of costs of chronic diseases. In the U.S. alone on an annual basis, the healthcare cost exceeds $50B. Asthma has no cure, the goal of treatment is to control the disease. Aerocrine’s NIOX MINO® FeNO monitor provides valuable information in a simple 2 minute test.
“It is exciting that 32 states have now recognized the importance of this test in the assessment and management of asthma,” said Kathy Hodgdon of Aerocrine. “We also now have the formal support of all the prestigious respiratory and asthma societies, The American Thoracic Society along with the American College and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
For more information, contact:
Scott Myers, President & CEO, Aerocrine AB, Phone: +46 768 788 379
Kathy Hodgdon, Director of sales & marketing, Aerocrine Inc., telephone +1 (314) 566 8546
Chip Neff, President, Aerocrine Inc., telephone +1 (919) 696 4267
About Aerocrine Aerocrine AB is a medical technology company focused on the improved management and care of patients with inflammatory airway diseases. The pioneer and leader in the technology to monitor and manage airway inflammation, Aerocrine markets NIOX MINO® and NIOX® Flex. Both products enable the fast and reliable measurement of airway inflammation and may thus play a critical role in more effective diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma. Aerocrine is based in Sweden with subsidiaries in the US, Germany and the UK. Aerocrine shares were listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange on 15 June 2007. Aerocrine may be required to disclose the information provided herein pursuant to the Securities Markets Actand/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication at 08:00 am on April the 12th 2012.