VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.,
Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Global health services company Cigna (NYSE:CI) now covers
Dermacell® for breast reconstruction surgery and
Dermacell AWM® for diabetic foot ulcers.
Dermacell is an advanced acellular dermal matrix developed by
LifeNet Health and distributed exclusively by Novadaq Technologies,
Inc. (NASDAQ: NVDQ)
"We are proud that Cigna, the first of the four major
commercial health-care payers to review the growing base of
evidentiary support, now covers Dermacell and Dermacell
AWM when deemed medically necessary by physicians," said
Bud Brame, Vice President
of Strategic Product Planning and Reimbursement Services at
LifeNet Health. "We believe the positive results from recent
Dermacell publications, including our randomized clinical trial, as
well as growing surgeon demand for the graft contributed to this
favorable outcome."
With this decision, more than 15 million Cigna
members throughout Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia will have coverage for Dermacell and
Dermacell AWM. Cigna's new coverage policy applies to Dermacell and
Dermacell AWM grafts provided for patients on and after
Feb. 15, 2017.
"We are optimistic that other large commercial payers like
Anthem, Aetna, and Humana will view the safety, efficacy and
performance of Dermacell just as favorably and also expand their
policies to include Dermacell," Brame said.
Dermacell is decellularized using
Matracell®, a proprietary and patented technology
that removes more than 97 percent of the donor's DNA without
compromising the desired biomechanical or biochemical properties,
and allows for rapid cellular infiltration and
re-vascularization. LifeNet Health
Preservon® technology allows the graft to be
stored fully hydrated at ambient temperature, eliminating the need
for refrigeration and rehydrating processes. Dermacell also is
terminally sterilized, rendering the graft sterile to medical
device-grade standards, with a sterility assurance level of
10-6.
About LifeNet Health
LifeNet Health helps save lives,
restore health, and give hope to thousands each year. It is the
world's most trusted provider of transplant solutions — from organ
procurement to bio-implants and cellular therapies — and a leader
in regenerative medicine, while always honoring the donors and
healthcare professionals who enable healing. For more information
about LifeNet Health, go to www.LifeNetHealth.org.
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SOURCE LifeNet Health