Nov 26, 2007 -- /prbuzz/ --For Immediate Release
Contact: Wendy Lester
1-800-373-7006, ext. 2023
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California’s Medi-Cal Names BioDerm an Approved Manufacturer.
BioDerm Technology, Already Used by NASA Astronauts,
Offers an Innovative Solution for Preventable Infections.
LARGO, FL, November 26, 2007 – Medical device manufacturer BioDerm, Inc., whose Liberty Pouch Clean & Dry™ provides a solution for men’s incontinence, has been added to the Approved Manufacturer list for Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.
The Liberty Pouch, featuring BioDerm technology already used by NASA Astronauts, is the first Bladder Control product that gently attaches to the tip of a man’s anatomy with a proprietary hydrocolloid seal. The patented design directs urine away from the body immediately, ensuring that customers stay dry and comfortable 24x7. Medi-Cal will now reimburse distributors and providers who supply the BioDerm Liberty Pouch to individuals.
“That’s good news for over five million incontinent men in the U.S. who are forced to endure wounds and infections caused by 50 year old bladder control methods,” says BioDerm’s CEO, Dennis M. Kay, M.D. “Incontinence care is a $21 billion issue and a large portion of that money is used to treat adult diaper and Foley catheter-associated complications. We believe our solution fills a critical need.”
The Liberty Pouch Clean & Dry™, a covered benefit under Medicare Part B and most state Medicaid, will now also be covered in the most populous state in the U.S. The Medi-Cal announcement comes on the heels of new Medicare guidelines, which take effect October 1, 2008, excluding extra hospital costs for treating certain conditions that could have been prevented, including bedsores (pressure ulcers) and infections resulting from the use of catheters in the bladder.
Bedsores are the top wound care problem in the U.S. and diapers are the biggest contributing factor to bedsore formation. And urinary tract infections (UTI’s) caused by indwelling catheters are the most frequent hospital and nursing home-acquired infection. Many men affected by Bladder Control issues are hesitant to tell their physicians they are suffering, and those who speak up or are diagnosed with bladder dysfunction are routinely given “old school” alternatives such as adult diapers or internal catheters.
“Indwelling Foley catheters are not an acceptable means of routinely controlling bladder incontinence,” said Cynthia Maloney, director of the Seton Health Incontinence Treatment Center in Troy, New York. “In fact, it’s one of the worst things you can do, because of the many bacteria and urinary tract infections.”
Dr. Kay, who previously worked with medical device developers at Johnson & Johnson, C.R. Bard and Bristol-Myers Squibb, believes there is a better way.
“The problems caused by indwelling catheters, condom catheters, and absorbent pads are responsible for expensive and painful complications and may be at the heart of antibiotic-resistant infections such as MRSA and VRE,” he commented. “The Medicare ruling, and our acceptance by Medi-Cal, should be a wake up call to healthcare practitioners that the Liberty Pouch may be a much healthier and cost-effective option for the patient.”
For more information, contact BioDerm at 1-800-373-7006 or log on to www.libertypouch.us.
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About the Press Release
A Florida company has developed a solution for incontinent males that is already being used by NASA astronauts, and now California's Medi-Cal has given their blessing.
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