CMS grants additional reimbursement for Dificid
Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTR) gained $1.40 (11%) to $14.29 on Thursday after CMS said it will provide hospitals with additional reimbursement payments beyond the predetermined standard rates for the use of antibiotic Dificid fidaxomicin in an inpatient setting. The additional payments are part of CMS's new technology add-on payment (NTAP) program, which was initiated in 2001 to provide additional reimbursement for innovative therapies that incur more costs than can be covered by the standard reimbursement rates. Hospitals will receive additional payments of up to 50% of the cost of Dificid for 2-3 years while the standard reimbursement rates are recalculated. In 2013, the maximum additional payment for Dificid will be $868. CMS said Dificid represents a "substantial" clinical improvement over existing technologies. ...