Optonol Announces New APC For Ex-PRESS Mini Glaucoma Shunt At AAO

Optonol, Ltd.

Atlanta—November 8, 2008 – Optonol, Ltd. (Neve Ilan, Israel) announced today a new APC under which the Ex-PRESS Mini Glaucoma Shunt will be paid beginning January 1, 2009. The official announcement was made at the Glaucoma Subspecialty Day as part of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in Atlanta, Ga.

The ExPRESS Mini Glaucoma Shunt is now assigned to APC 673 (Level IV Anterior Segment Eye Procedures), as published in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2009 Hospital Outpatient Prospective System Final Rule. This increased the national average reimbursement for the Ex-PRESS from $1476.16 to $2705.35 in the Hospital Outpatient setting. In the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) setting, the payment increased from $949.00 to $1652.98.

“We are pleased that CMS reconsidered the reimbursement level to make the procedure available to Medicare beneficiaries,” said Patrick King, President of Optonol. “This will allow glaucoma surgeons access to the Ex-PRESS mini glaucoma shunt in both the hospital outpatient setting and the ASC.”

If there are any questions, please visit the Optonol onsite at Booth #233 to meet the Vice President of Reimbursement, Jayne A. Little. Tips will be shared to guide physicians, office managers, hospital and office billing staffs through the reimbursement transition period. Additionally, questions can be directed to [email protected]. For more information on the ExPRESS Mini Glaucoma Shunt, please visit www.optonol.com.

Optonol, Ltd. develops, manufactures and commercializes miniature surgical implants. Its first product in this area is a unique microscopic implant that redefines the surgical treatment for patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma. Optonol’s ability to manufacture such precision devices has opened a variety of new applications addressing other diseases where specific designed micro-implants are the only solution.