New Hampshire's Medicaid program adds Aerocrine's FeNO test to their fee schedule
Apr 12, 2012
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.
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