Originally Published MX September/October
2002

GOVERNMENTAL &
LEGAL AFFAIRS

Strategizing
for Reimbursement

According to
the experts, starting early and staying involved are two keys to building a
successful reimbursement strategy.

Moderated by
Steve Halasey

Industry dissatisfaction
with the Medicare reimbursement process administered by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS; Baltimore, MD) has never quite reached the fever pitch
of the mid-1990s, when FDA was industry's target. But when the winds of reform
are blowing—as they are once again this year—it's a pretty safe bet
that reimbursement is likely to get tossed around a bit.

To find out more
about how the Medicare system is changing—and how medtech companies can
develop the best possible strategies for reimbursement—MX spoke with six
experts in the field (see sidebar).

MX: After the
passage of the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, many medtech manufacturers turned
their attention to the Medicare reimbursement system and determined that it
was a broken system that needed to be fixed. Is that still the mood of industry,