National Seating & Mobility (NSM) has become the exclusive distributor of the Ekso Indego Personal exoskeleton in the Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) industry.
In a Feb. 10 news announcement, NSM said the new partnership with Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: EKSO), headquartered in San Rafael, California, will “broaden access to the Ekso Indego-powered exoskeleton device for individuals living with spinal cord injuries and other mobility challenges throughout North America.”
The wearable, lower-extremity Ekso Indego Personal exoskeleton can enable “many individuals living with spinal cord injuries [SCI] the ability to stand and walk independently,” NSM added. “It is the only known portable exoskeleton device to offer a modular quick connect design, which was engineered to allow users to put on and take off the device without assistance.”
While early exoskeletons were heavy enough to require significant caregiver assistance, “Ekso Indego is the lightest known commercial exoskeleton available offering ease of handling, transportation, and storage, which enables individuals to use it as an adjunct mobility to their custom wheelchair,” the announcement said. “Also offering an advanced gait mode, individuals with a SCI using the device have been shown to reach faster walking speeds, granting them a new level of independence in the community.”
“We are excited to expand the distribution of the Ekso Indego Personal device through this strategic commercial partnership with NSM,” said Scott Davis, the Ekso’s CEO. “Both companies see a world where people have widespread access to innovative technologies that allow them to rethink their current physical limitation. We are looking forward to working with NSM to make that a reality. And as a fast-growing, well-established company in the CRT space, NSM’s proven expertise and robust infrastructure are well aligned with our growth strategy.”
“NSM is committed to investing in resources and partnerships that enable us to bring the most advanced mobility and accessibility solutions to those we serve,” said Crispin Teufel, CEO of NSM. “We are proud to partner with Ekso Bionics to expand access to the life-changing Ekso Indego Personal device to those who rely on CRT equipment and can benefit from the mobility and therapy this innovative technology provides.
“We will apply both our expertise in providing one-of-a-kind mobility technologies for individuals with various conditions, and our experience with insurance submissions through our vast panel of insurance partners, to help bring Esko Indego Personal to more people who could benefit from standing and walking in addition to wheeled mobility,” Teufel added.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) classified some types of exoskeletons as braces in its Calendar Year 2024 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rule CMS-1780. That made those exoskeletons eligible for Medicare coverage starting Jan. 1, 2024.
Image courtesy Ekso.
