Medicare to Cover Prescription Handguns … what?

Posted By JM Bell on December 4, 2008

From MedGadget:

We recently reported about a new 9mm handgun that was designed for folks suffering from arthritis and other disabilities affecting the hands. Constitution Arms, the manufacturer of the firearm, is reporting that the FDA has formally designated the gun as a medical gadget.

Constitution Arms contacted us with the following information:

Several weeks ago you were kind enough to blog about the Palm Pistol. We thought you might be interested to learn that the FDA has completed its “Device/Not a Device” determination and concluded the handgun will be listed as a Class I Medical Device, exempt from 510(k) Pre-Market Notification in accordance with 21 CFR 890.5050 “Daily Activity Assist Device.”

We have now submitted an application to the CMS contractor Noridian for a DME (Durable Medical Equipment) Coding Verification in order to be assigned an HCPCS code. Once assigned , physicians will be able to prescribe the Palm Pistol for qualified patients who may seek reimbursement through Medicare or private health insurance companies.

About The Author

JM Bell
Jeff Bell has been working in and around politics since 1989. He is the former Democratic National Committee Communications Director for Utah and is currently the host of “J.M. Bell’s Left of the Dial” on KSL NewsRadio in Salt Lake City.

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