CMS issued its final Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System rule for 2025. The rule goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, implementing the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act. NOPAIN mandates separate Medicare payment for qualifying non-opioid drugs and devices.

According to a news release, NOPAIN, passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2023, aims to increase patient access to non-opioid drugs and devices used to manage pain in Hospital Outpatient (HOPD) and ASC settings by providing additional Medicare reimbursement for qualifying non-opioid items.

The final rule confirmed that Avanos Medical’s ON-Q and ambIT infusion systems meet qualifying requirements. ON-Q provides elastomeric infusion and ambIT provides disposable electronic infusion. Both deliver non-opioid pain management therapy and become eligible for separate payment for the first time under NOPAIN