Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders

Important update for members who treat diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers
 
All of the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) have delayed the effective date of the final local coverage determinations for CTPs (“skin substitutes”) in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and venous leg ulcers (VLU) by 60 days, moving the implementation date across all MAC jurisdictions from 2/12/25 to 4/13/25.
 
As there were seismic changes to covered products, allowable applications and documentation in the final LCDs that were published in November 2024, wound care providers across the country who treat DFU/VLU in Medicare beneficiaries have been preparing for the original February 12, 2025 implementation date. This postponement to April has the upside of providing additional preparation time.
 
It is important to note that the local coverage determinations themselves are unchanged, only the effective date has been postponed.
 
The Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders has been a vocal and tenacious advocate as these coverage policies were developed over the past several years. As a unified advocacy voice for wound care, we’ve together collaborated on and submitted multiple written comments and oral testimonies on this particular coverage policy and other policies impacting access to CTPs.
 
The Alliance has created an info page on our their with links to each of the “Skin Substitute Grafts/Cellular and Tissue-Based Products for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers & Venous Leg Ulcers” LCDs from each MAC so that Alliance Members can quickly and easily find the policy that covers their jurisdiction.
 

In addition to the efforts taken on by the Society we have also enjoyed success through our membership in the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders (The Alliance). The Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders is a nonprofit multidisciplinary trade association of physician medical specialty societies and clinical associations whose mission is to promote quality care and access to products and services for people with wounds through effective advocacy and educational outreach in the regulatory, legislative and public arenas.