The Trump administration announced last week the first criminal charges against a skin substitute executive accused of committing Medicare fraud on an outrageous scale. Providers who exploit Medicare or endanger patients should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But holding bad actors accountable and preserving access to medically necessary wound care are not mutually exclusive goals.

A new Medicare policy change that took effect in January, also intended to curb abuse, has been catastrophic for patients and providers with legitimate reasons to use this life and limb-saving therapy.