It used to be called a bribe; now, only a “donation.” At a very private dinner at Mae-a-Lago in March for major donors, Oliver Burkhardt, the owner of Extremity Care, a company that makes skin substitutes, often used in wound care, was able to get a delay in Medicare examination of his company’s pricing on its products.
Skin substitutes are made from leftover placenta tissue which are then made sterile and used for wound care, such as the ulcers diabetics get on their legs. They are important in wound care. Five years ago the most expensive skin substituted cost $1,042 per square inch; however, now costs can range from $7,000 to $21,000. And Medicare pays the cost due to a quirk in the law. The question is not care, but greed.
Before the election, Burkhardt faced a Medicare review. He claimed that his company had developed “new” skin substitutes so that the reimbursement rate is set at whatever the new: product costs. After March, however, the review was postponed. He gave $3 million; it was well spent because the review of his pricing policies was delayed.
Prayer for the Day
Searching to certainty in an uncertain world, O God,
We have more doubts than faith and more fear than love;
Wanting answers before we even ask the questions,
We are frustrated in what we see in the world around us.
Break past the walls we build to protect ourselves,
Bursting open our hearts to listen to your voice,
In the name of the One who calls us to listen,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
It’s the patients, it’s the taxpayers — unfortunately everyone is footing a part of the bill for this outsized spend.
Dana Rye, Duly Health and Care, where payments have risen 1400 percent
Chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers place a significant burden on the healthcare system and in some cases, have 5-year mortality rates comparable to cancer. They negatively impact patients’ quality of life due to pain, odor, decreased mobility, and social isolation. Skin substitutes are an advanced therapy recommended for wounds that fail to show decrease in size with standard care.
National Institutes of Health Study 2023
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;
Wherever they turn, they prosper
Proverbs 17: 8