On October 8, 2015 Delcath Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTH), a specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company focused on oncology with an emphasis on the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers, reported the establishment of a national reimbursement code for procedures performed with the Delcath Hepatic CHEMOSAT Delivery System (CHEMOSAT) in Germany (Press release, Delcath Systems, OCT 8, 2015, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2095411 [SID:1234507669]). The German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) issued a ZE diagnostic-related group (DRG) code, which permits hospitals in Germany to obtain reimbursement for CHEMOSAT procedures beginning in 2016. This new nationwide code replaces the previous Neue Untersuchungs und Behandlungsmethoden (NUB) procedure that required patients in Germany to apply individually for reimbursement of their CHEMOSAT treatment. The decision represents the first national reimbursement mechanism for CHEMOSAT procedures in Europe.
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"The receipt of ZE reimbursement represents an important step towards increased commercialization of CHEMOSAT and highlights the role our therapy has been playing in Germany for the treatment of patients with cancers in the liver," said Jennifer K. Simpson, Ph.D., MSN, CRNP, CEO & President of Delcath Systems, Inc. "The application for coverage under the ZE scheme was made by the German Radiology Society and has been widely supported by major German cancer hospitals, which also speaks to the confidence the German clinical community has in the therapy. With a ZE DRG code established, an application under the annual NUB process is no longer required. We look forward to supporting participating hospitals in their negotiations with insurers in the coming year and are pleased that this new reimbursement will make CHEMOSAT treatment more easily accessible to patients in Germany suffering with cancers in the liver."
ZE is a national reimbursement code that augments existing DRG codes until a specific new DRG code can be created. With the establishment of a ZE code for CHEMOSAT, the procedure is now permanently represented in the DRG catalog in Germany. The establishment of ZE coverage by InEK was made in response to an application made by the German Radiology Society for CHEMOSAT in March 2015.