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  "notes": "Uses direct quotes from industry experts to build a case of systemic exploitation.",
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      "text": "With no reimbursement limit, TransMedics has free reign for price gouging – and transplant centers just pass it on to the taxpayer.",
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      "text": "An executive at a major Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) – we shortly explain the structure of the US transplant system – called the “organ acquisition charge...a gray area...the same is true for TransMedics...you could exploit any charge...you can exploit the types of planes....you can exploit the surgeon fees...all of those things can be inflated.”",
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      "text": "Organ acquisition cost is a “gray area”; ‘you could exploit any charge that they had’",
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      "text": "A surgeon who leads a large academic transplant center: “Medicare because they’re so frickin’ stupid as a government bureaucracy...they have not put a cap...if TransMedics charged $200,000 for the kit, I would be able to get reimbursed.”",
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      "kind": "paragraph",
      "text": "Medicare is “so frickin’ stupid” to reimburse via Medicare Cost Report; no cap on TransMedics cost",
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      "text": "“The organ acquisition charge itself is a gray area...the same is true for TransMedics...there is really a lot of latitude with what they’re charging, and there’s no standardization. So, when TransMedics comes in and says, look, you’ve got to use our guys, use our recovery surgeons - they just set that fee. And the OPO’s have to pay it and pass it through their transplant center...there is the opportunity to take advantage of that...You could exploit any charge that they had. You can exploit the types of planes that you use. You can exploit the surgeon fees. You can expense the pump time, the supply cost, transport cost—all of those things can be inflated. And so, I used to pay the helicopters and the jets for all transplants. And we had an airport that was 12 miles away. By ambulance, it took 10 minutes, and by helicopter, it took 7. And they would require a helicopter that costs $11,000 versus an ambulance that costs $1200. An ambulance going a short distance was $400. If they turned the siren on, it was $900. Same distance..” – Longtime executive at major OPO (organ procurement organization), and on UNOS committees",
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      "text": "“I’ve served on medtech panels. And I’ve been extremely critical. Medicare, because they’re so frickin’ stupid as a government bureaucracy, they’re reimbursing transplant centers through their Medicare Cost Report...at some point, Medicare is going to, once there are other FDA-approved devices, say no, we’re not paying $100,000 for you guys to provide the surgeon, the aviation company, and the device and the technicians...say my total costs were $10 million and I did 40% of those transplants were Medicare patients. I would get $4 million back from Medicare because that’s 40% of the charges that I had. What Medicare has not done so far is they have not put a cap on the amount of money per procedure that you’re doing. Theoretically, if TransMedics charged $200,000 for the kit,, I would be able to get that reimbursed right now because Medicare is so stupid that they’re not restricting it like other companies do like private insurers do. – Prominent surgeon, Director of leading West Coast academic transplant center",
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      "text": "Medicare because they're so frickin' stupid as a government bureaucracy...they have not put a cap...if TransMedics charged $200,000 for the kit, I would be able to get reimbursed. — Prominent surgeon, Director of leading West Coast academic transplant center. The organ acquisition charge itself is a gray area...the same is true for TransMedics...You could exploit any charge that they had. You can exploit the types of planes that you use. You can exploit the surgeon fees. You can expense the pump time, the supply cost, transport cost—all of those things can be inflated. — Longtime executive at major OPO (organ procurement organization), and on UNOS committees",
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      "text": "Source: Scorpion Capital consultation calls with experts",
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      "text": "With no reimbursement limit, TransMedics has free reign for price gouging – and transplant centers just pass it on to the taxpayer.",
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