Posts Tagged ‘influenza’

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new seasonal influenza vaccine. Agriflu can be used for the prevention of disease caused by flu virus subtypes A and B in people ages 18 and older.

Agriflu was approved using the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway after manufacturer Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics in Siena, Italy demonstrated the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing seasonal influenza.

Agriflu is preservative-free and available in single dose, pre-filled syringes administered intramuscularly.

The FDA announced its approval of Agriflu in a Nov. 27 press release, posted on its Web site.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of CSL Limited’s 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to include children ages 6 months and older. The vaccine was previously approved only for use in adults, ages 18 years and older. The expanded approval also covers the Australian company’s seasonal flu vaccine.

The vaccines will be available in single-dose, preservative-free, pre-filled syringes, and multi-dose vials.

Google has launched a live online map service that will help your patients find flu shots, both seasonal and H1N1.

The Internet company built the flu shot finder in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS). The service allows users to search within a specified area and locate providers — mostly chain pharmacies — where immunizations are available.

Because of its newness, it may not have all the sites yet, but it will provide consumers with sources for immunizations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Oct. 23, in response to a request from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational antiviral drug peramivir intravenous (IV) in certain adult and pediatric patients with confirmed or suspected 2009 H1N1 influenza infection who are admitted to a hospital.

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If you’re confused about carrier rules for coding H1N1 vaccines, you’re not alone. Choosing H1N1 codes  in regard to Medicare and private insurance guidelines, and when to use a modifier can leave you dumbfounded. To answer your H1N1 questions, here’s the low-down on Medicare policies vs. private insurer policies.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated, Oct. 14, its Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Q&As to address H1N1-related questions circling among the health care industry. Read more »

A recent update to the ICD-9-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting gives coders a choice of diagnosis codes to differentiate between the two types of influenza virus patients may present with this year. Read more »

The American Medical Association (AMA) has created a new CPT^® code specific to vaccine administration and revised an existing code to include the H1N1 vaccine. Read more »

Two new Level II HCPCS codes were added to the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB) in the October update. Effective Sept. 1, report code G9142 Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, any route of administration to describe the H1N1 vaccine itself, and G9141 Influenza A (H1N1) immunization administration (includes the physician counseling the patient/family to describe the administration of the H1N1 vaccine.

Providers should report one unit of G9141 for each administration of the H1N1 vaccine. Read more »

Flu shots protect against many, but not all, flu strains. Each year, flu specialists make an educated guess at which flu strains will be prevalent during seasonal outbreaks. Scientists create vaccines based on this flu strain research. Because the flu strains can mutate over time, it’s not easy to predict the strains correctly. Read more »