NuVasive: Aetna changes spinal surgery policy to include coverage for XLIF procedure

NuVasive, Inc. (Nasdaq: NUVA), a medical device company focused on developing products for minimally disruptive surgical treatments for the spine, announced today that Aetna changed its spinal surgery policy to include coverage for the eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion, or XLIF procedure, published on February 26, 2010, a reversal from its previous policy that labeled XLIF as experimental and investigational.  

The updated policy states that lateral interbody fusion is considered an acceptable method of performing a medically necessary anterior interbody fusion, in accordance with the North American Spine Society (NASS) recommendation letter dated January 5, 2010.  NuVasive will update its reimbursement website accordingly.