New CPT Codes for Mechanical Scalp Cooling Support Pathway to Reimbursement in the U.S.

New codes provide path to greater patient access to scalp cooling which minimizes hair loss from chemotherapy and improves quality of life for cancer patients

Dignitana AB (OTCMKTS:DIZTF)

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Dignitana AB reports that the American Medical Association (AMA) today announced the approval of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT^®) codes for Mechanical Scalp Cooling Services. These new CPT codes, as listed in the Summary of Panel Actions from the AMA CPT Editorial Panel’s October 2020 meeting, will become effective for use in July 2021, increasing patient access to scalp cooling treatments.

“Removing financial barriers to scalp cooling is critical to our ability to help more patients, and these new CPT codes are the first step toward health care equity. We are pleased that the AMA has taken this important next step to create a pathway toward insurance reimbursement for scalp cooling,” said William Cronin, Dignitana CEO. “There is still work to be done with insurance companies, but we will now have the coding needed to pursue coverage with health plans throughout the United States. This is a milestone worth celebrating and an important recognition of how far we have come since 2015 when Dignitana first introduced FDA-cleared scalp cooling to the United States. Most importantly, we are looking forward to bringing DigniCap to more patients so they can meet the challenges of cancer treatment with dignity.”

“The loss of hair from chemotherapy can be a devastating part of cancer treatment and many patients balance medical decisions based on the desire to keep their hair. As the insurance providers continue to evaluate scalp cooling for coverage, they should note both the efficacy of the treatment as well as the improved quality of life that were demonstrated in the Dignitana Pivotal Trial,” said Hope S. Rugo, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at the University of California, San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

On January 1, 2021, the two new scalp cooling codes will be introduced as Category III CPT codes, a distinction used for emerging technologies to allow data collection as these new services become better established. It is then up to each insurance provider to determine whether they will add scalp cooling to their insurance coverage.

Dignitana AB is the world leader in clinically superior scalp cooling technology. The company produces The DigniCap^® Scalp Cooling System, a patented medical cooling device that offers cancer patients the ability to minimize hair loss during chemotherapy. FDA cleared since 2015, DigniCap provides continuous cooling with high efficacy, safety and patient comfort. Hailed internationally as a life-changing medical advancement for cancer patients, The DigniCap Scalp Cooling System was invented in 1999 by a Swedish Oncology nurse and has been available in Europe since 2001. Dignitana AB is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market in Sweden with headquarters in Lund, Sweden and operations based in Dallas, Texas in the United States. Company subsidiaries are Dignitana, Inc. in the United States and Dignitana S.r.l. in Italy. Learn more at www.dignitana.se and www.dignicap.com.

Melissa Bourestom
Dignitana AB
melissa.bourestom@dignitana.com