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View Public Comments for Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)

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[22 Comments]
Page 1 of 1
First character of titleCommenterComment Information
A
Ahya, Vivek Title: Medical Director, Lung Transplantation Program
Organization: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Date: 08/18/2011
Comment:

Although survival after lung transplantation has improved (median survival 5.5 years), long-term survival remains poor and lags behind outocomes seen after other solid organ transplant procedures. Chronic rejection remains the primary obstacle More opens in new window

A
Arcasoy, Selim Title: Medical Program Director, Lung Transplant Program
Organization: Columbia University
Date: 08/11/2011
Comment:
Photopheresis is an effective treatment option for chronic lung allograft rejection (BOS), which has been shown to result in preservation of lung function with low side-effect profile. It has also been accepted as a second-line therapy and More opens in new window
B
Barr, Mark Title: Associate Professor of Surgery
Organization: University of Southern California
Date: 08/30/2011
Comment:

August 30, 2011

To: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Re: Extracorporeal Photopheresis in Lung Transplantation

While the following comments are lengthier than those that you have received from other More opens in new window

B
Berman, Keith Organization: Health Research Associates
Date: 09/03/2011
Comment:

Public Comment Re: Formal Request for Reconsideration of National Coverage Determination (110.4): Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) in Lung Allograft Patients with Progressive BOS Refractory to Immunosuppressive Drug More opens in new window

C
Chun, Christopher Date: 09/02/2011
Comment:

September 1, 2011

US Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Re: National Coverage Determination for Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) (CAG-00324R2) – Comments from More opens in new window

F
Fuhlbrigge, Anne Title: Clinical Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Med
Organization: igham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Date: 08/12/2011
Comment:

ECP is approved for GVHD after BMT which immunologically is a process similar to that which occurs with OB after lung transplant. ECP is well tolerated particulary with regard to the risk of opportunistic infections. Consistent with the More opens in new window

G
Geist, Lois Date: 08/18/2011
Comment:
I have used this treatment for drug refractory patients and have found that it often stabilizes and in some cases improves lung function in the majority of cases. Given the cost of transplant and possible retransplant, this is an important option More opens in new window
G
Goldberg, Hilary Title: Medical Director, Lung Transplant Program
Organization: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Date: 08/11/2011
Comment:
As a transplant pulmonologist and the current Medical Director of the Lung Transplant Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, I would like to advocate in the strongest terms for Medicare coverage of extra-corporeal photopheresis (ECP) in More opens in new window
G
Gronski M.D., Ted Title: Lung Transplant Medical Director
Organization: Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center
Date: 09/02/2011
Comment:

Few (if any) effective treatment options exist for patients who are s/p lung transplantation and who develop BOS. Photopheresis appears to be a well tolerated and effective treatment option, based on published data and discussion with large lung More opens in new window

H
Hadjiliadis, Denis Title: Assistant Professor of Medicine
Organization: University of Pennsylvania
Date: 08/22/2011
Comment:
A patient of mine 21 months post double lung transplant had BOS, which progressed despite thymoglobulin, steroids and all other therapies and lost lung function from about 75% to 30% of predicted; photophoresis stabilized this; if it were not More opens in new window
H
Hertz, Marshall Title: MD, Medical Director of Lung Transplantation
Organization: University of Minnesota
Date: 09/01/2011
Comment:

I am writing in favor of reimbursement for ECP for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplant. Our group was among the first to report the benefit of ECP for this indication (Salerno CT, Park SJ, Kreykes NS, Kulick DM, Savik K, More opens in new window

K
klesney-tait, julia Title: medical director of lung transplant
Organization: University of Iowa Hosptials and Clinics
Date: 08/18/2011
Comment:

We have successfully used ECP to abort chronic rejection (bronchiolitis obliterans) in lung transplant patients at our institution. Chronic rejection manifests itself as a relentless fibrotic process which replaces function lung units with More opens in new window

L
Leard, Lorriana Date: 08/24/2011
Comment:
ECP is an important treatment option for Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS). BOS is a substantial problem for lung transplant recipients. Limited treatment options exist. There is sufficient evidence in the literature to support the use of ECP More opens in new window
L
Loyd, James Title: Professor
Organization: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University
Date: 08/11/2011
Comment:
I strongly support coverage for Extracorporeal Photopheresis for Bronchiolitis Obliterans syndrome as a manifestation of chronic rejection in lung transplantation. We have used ECP as the preferred therapy for BOS since the mid 1990s (Slovis, More opens in new window
M
Marques, Marisa Title: Professor of Pathology
Organization: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Date: 08/25/2011
Comment:
I strongly support the request to include ECP for BOS after lung transplantation to be reimbursed by Medicare. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), we have treated dozens of patients with this condition and I am convinced that ECP More opens in new window
W
Walia, Rajat Title: Associate Director, Lung Transplant Program
Organization: St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center
Date: 09/01/2011
Comment:

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) is the bane of lung transplantation reducing the survival of lung transplant recipients to only 50% at 5 years. There is no effective treatment for BOS and physicians usually use a multi-treatment modality More opens in new window

W
Ward, David Title: Professor of Medicine; Director Apheresis Program
Organization: University of California San Diego, School of Medcine
Date: 08/23/2011
Comment:

At the University of California San Diego Medical Center, in the period May 2003 until now, we have used photopheresis to treat 22 lung transplant recipients for lung transplant rejection (which includes bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome). Our More opens in new window

W
Weill, David Organization: Stanford University
Date: 08/18/2011
Comment:
I have treated over 50 patients with ECP for chronic lung transplant rejection and have found it efficacious in most of the More opens in new window
W
Weiss, Marvin Title: Medical Director Respiratory and Adult ICU Service
Organization: Southern California Permanente Medical Group
Date: 09/02/2011
Comment:
As a Pulmonary Specialist I have cared for patients who have undergone lung transplantation for a variety of underlying conditions for over 20 years. With the local availability of photophersis at the University of California San Diego Medical More opens in new window
W
Wiegmann, Theresa Organization: AABB
Date: 09/02/2011
Comment:

To Whom It May Concern:

AABB would like to lend our support to the request for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the national coverage decision to extend coverage for extracoporeal photopheresis (ECP) for More opens in new window

W
Wille, Keith Title: Medical Director, Adult Lung Transplant Program
Organization: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Date: 09/01/2011
Comment:
I support reimbursement of hospitals and physicians for photopheresis therapy for lung transplant recipients with progressive BOS who fail to respond adequately to standard immunosuppressive drug treatment. We have used photopheresis therapy for More opens in new window
Y
Yung, Gordon Title: Porfessor of Medicine
Organization: University of California San Diego
Date: 09/01/2011
Comment:

As Medical Director of one of the oldest Lung Transplant Programs in California, I have witnessed the devastation of chroninc rejection after lung transplantion for 15 years. I cannot tell you the joy that I had when my patient responded to More opens in new window

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