Becker's ASC Review

21 GASTROENTEROLOGY New GERD treatment option 'significantly more effective' than standard of care — 5 insights By Eric Oliver J ohnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies subsidiary Ethicon's Linx Reflux Management System was "significantly more effective" at treating gastrointestinal reflux disease than acid sup- pression drugs. e Linx Reflux Management System is a small band of magnetic beads wrapped around the esophagus that treats GERD. Here's what you should know: 1. Researchers conducted a study with 152 patients, which was published in Gastro- intestinal Endoscopy. About 102 patients received twice-daily proton pump inhibi- tors and 50 patients received laparoscopic magnetic sphincter augmentation with the Linx system. 2. Eighty-nine percent of the Linx cohort achieved relief from moderate to severe regurgitation, compared to only 10 percent of the PPI cohort. 3. Eighty-one percent of the Linx cohort reported improvement of 50 percent or more in GERD quality scores, compared to 8 percent of the PPI cohort. 4. Ninety-one percent of the Linx cohort experienced a normal amount of reflux episodes at six-months postop, compared to 58 percent of the PPI cohort. 5. e Linx cohort also had a greater patient satisfaction (81 percent) than the PPI co- hort (2 percent). Study co-author Reginald C. W. Bell, MD, said in a press release, "is study demon- strated that patients experiencing regur- gitation despite proton-pump inhibitor therapy actually did extremely well with an anti-reflux procedure, magnetic sphincter augmentation, using the Linx device." n CMS sides with Anthem to devalue GI codes — 5 insights By Eric Oliver M ajor gastroenterology societies harshly criticized the 2019 Medicare Physi- cian Fee Schedule final rule, which makes several significant policy and payment changes. Here's what you should know: 1. The American College of Gastro- enterology, American Gastroentero- logical Association and American So- ciety for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy released a joint statement expressing dismay over the final rule. 2. CMS is revaluing reimbursement for colonoscopy with snare (45385) and EGD with biopsy (43239). 3. CMS is revaluing the codes in re- sponse to a letter from Anthem. The societies called the action a "disturb- ing development" and later stated, "This is the first time a private payer has nominated CPT codes via the po- tentially misvalued codes process." 4. The three societies are reviewing the final rule and preparing a de- tailed analysis they will release later. 5. The final rule is expected to impact gastroenterologists beginning in 2021. ACG said in a statement, "It is a conflict for CMS to listen to a payer whose goal is to increase revenue and reduce costs by reducing payment for lifesaving GI procedures. It is both alarming and unclear why CMS set this precedent for GI codes." n Texas Digestive Disease Consultants finds PE partner, forms GI practice management company By Eric Oliver S outhlake-based Texas Digestive Disease Consultants found a private equity partner in Waud Capital Partners, concluding a search process in early 2018. Here's what you should know: 1. Through the partnership, TDDC and Waud Capital formed The GI Alliance, a gastroenterology-facing practice management company. 2. The GI Alliance aims to be the "preeminent gastroenterology practice man- agement company in the U.S." 3. TDDC is The GI Alliance's first practice, but the partnership is in reaching out to other practices. 4. The GI Alliance partners will retain the option to operate independently but will be able to draw from "increased scale and expanded service lines." 5. TDDC Founder James Weber, MD, said, "Forming The GI Alliance positions us not only to continue achieving superior clinical outcomes for our patients but also to create operational efficiencies, to grow our footprint nationally with other like-minded practices, and to attract, retain and appropriately compen- sate top physicians." 6. Gastroenterology has been lauded as a hotbed of PE investment for several years. The first and most notable deal was in March 2016, when Miami-based Gastro Health partnered with Audax Capital. n

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