The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved transitional pass-through reimbursement status for triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension) 40 mg/mL (Triesence; Harrow), a preservative-free corticosteroid used in ophthalmic procedures. The decision, effective April 1, 2025, allows for separate reimbursement in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) for 3 years.

Previously, Triesence was covered as part of a bundled surgical payment. With this approval, it will now be reimbursed at the average sales price (ASP) plus 6% in the ASC or HOPD settings. The drug already has a permanent, product-specific J-Code (J3300) for reimbursement in physician offices.

Mark L. Baum, Harrow’s chairman and CEO, said the approval expands patient access and provides ophthalmologists with an FDA-approved alternative to off-label treatments. Triesence is indicated for visualization during vitrectomy and treatment of ocular inflammation unresponsive to topical corticosteroids.