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.
SOURCE LifeNet Health
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