Axios Quotes Rachel Hold‑Weiss on Medicare Cuts to Bioengineered Wound Care

Rachel Hold-Weiss, partner in Benesch’s Healthcare Practice Group, was quoted in a recent Axios article, “Billions at stake in growing feud over high-tech bandages.”

The article examines a high‑stakes legal fight between the Trump administration and biotech manufacturers over Medicare reimbursement cuts for bioengineered skin substitutes used in wound care. Federal officials estimate the policy change will reduce Medicare spending by nearly $20 billion this year after costs for the products skyrocketed amid concerns about fraud and patient harm. Manufacturers argue the payment cuts are unlawful and arbitrary, setting up a potentially consequential court battle that could shape broader efforts to rein in waste and abuse across the Medicare system.

“There are fraudsters in this industry, but the good providers are really suffering as well,” said Rachel.

She noted that Medicare’s sharply reduced reimbursement rates for bioengineered skin substitutes are so low that some care facilities have stopped offering the treatments, limiting patient access to necessary wound care.

Rachel also cautioned that broad payment cuts risk penalizing legitimate providers rather than targeting bad actors, underscoring the need for a more targeted approach to addressing fraud.

Read the full article here.