Kalogon's Verro Cushion Brings 3D Printing to Wheelchair Seating

Kalogon has brought the Verro to market with a twist: it is Medicare coded from day one.

The Verro comes in two versions. The Verro variable-density lattice uses vat polymerization to build a cushion that gets firmer where the body needs support and softer where it needs relief. The second model, Verro dual-density foam, uses a different approach but shares the same billing code. Both carry the E2609 code, which means insurance can pay for them directly.

Kalogon already makes wheelchair seats and military aircraft seating. The company says it developed the cushion after clinicians told them complex patients kept falling through the cracks of standard foam.

CEO Tim Balz framed it this way: "We kept hearing from clinicians that their most complex patients were falling through the cracks, so we developed a technology that lets us 3D print the cushion with precise, localized control over where the body gets support and where it gets relief."

The variable density lattice idea is not new in itself. Other manufacturers have offered 3D printed cushions for years. What sets the Verro apart is the Medicare billing path and the fact that it is built in the US.

Kalogon is also pushing for a patent on its variable density lattice design. That move drew skepticism from at least one expert who notes that the underlying geometry has been explored by several companies already. The risk is that a broad patent could block other cushion makers from using similar lattice patterns.