Harrow Announces Permanent, Product-Specific J-Code for Iheezo for Ocular Surface Anesthesia

Harrow announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a permanent, product-specific J-code for Iheezo (chloroprocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic gel) 3% for ocular surface anesthesia. Under the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), the Iheezo J‑code (J2403) will become effective April 1, 2023.

Iheezo (chloroprocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic gel 3%) is a sterile, single-patient‑use, physician‑administered, ophthalmic gel preparation containing no preservatives used for ocular surface anesthesia.

“We are committed to the accessibility of new therapies that benefit eye care professionals and the patients they serve. As we prepare for the commercial launch of Iheezo in the coming months, we are grateful that Iheezo will have its own permanent, product-specific J-code beginning April 1, 2023, enabling a more efficient billing process for ophthalmologists, optometrists, and retina specialists, and creating greater accessibility to the many clinical benefits that Iheezo provides. We want to thank CMS for its consideration and timely review of our J-code application," Mark L. Baum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harrow, said in a company news release.

Iheezo was approved by the FDA on September 26, 2022. Iheezo represents the first approved use in the US ophthalmic market of chloroprocaine hydrochloride and the first branded ocular anesthetic approved for the U.S. ophthalmic market in nearly 14 years.