At The MedTech Conference 2025, S2N Health CEO Amy Siegel moderated a dynamic discussion on how smart reimbursement planning drives commercial success, valuation, and ultimately, exit opportunities. The session, “Maximizing Value through Smart Reimbursement Strategies,” brought together voices from across the MedTech ecosystem— Lori Chmura (CEO of Nyra Medical), Andy Doraiswamy (CEO & Founder of Koya Medical), Cynthia Yee (Partner at Vensana Capital), and Dan Secor (Strategy & Business Development Director at Stryker) — to share real-world lessons from the frontlines of commercialization.
Here are 5 Key Takeaways from the Discussion:
1. Reimbursement Strategy Starts as Early as Company Formation
One resounding theme: reimbursement strategy shouldn’t be an afterthought. As Amy noted, “It’s never just about reimbursement”— it’s about integrating incentives, evidence, and market realities from day one. Several panelists emphasized engaging expert reimbursement consultants early to avoid compounding commercial risk later.
2. There is Opportunity and Tradeoff in Existing Codes
An existing code can be both an opportunity and a constraint, depending on whether there is sufficient payment attached. Companies must evaluate whether the associated payment level aligns with the product’s value proposition and intended business model.
3. Understand the Big Picture
Context is everything. Successful reimbursement planning requires a deep understanding of not only the codes, but the real-world tradeoffs that stakeholders are making from the society and payer level all the way down to the facility and physician. As Lori Chmura put it, “You need to understand what the provider’s business model is and position into it. Budgets are a zero-sum game.” Andy Doraiswamy added that one of the first questions to ask is, “How is the provider participating in the revenue?”
4. Design Launches to Capture and Sustain Value
Strategic launch execution was another focal point. From managing early revenue expectations (as seen in the real-world example of Shockwave’s trajectory) to maintaining pricing discipline under NTAP or TPT programs, panelists highlighted how disciplined messaging and documentation underpin reimbursement success. “It’s about ensuring you get paid not just in the short term, but scale-ably in the long term,” remarked Amy.
5. Global Strategy Can Strengthen U.S. Positioning
Final takeaway: International launches can lay the groundwork for U.S. reimbursement. When well-executed, an OUS-first strategy can establish clinical and economic value that can support and accelerate payer acceptance domestically— a playbook used successfully by companies like HeartFlow.
Taking a Holistic Approach
Reimbursement isn’t just about coverage— in the same way that commercial success isn’t just about sales. At S2N Health, we view commercial strategy from that same holistic lens: making data actionable for MedTech teams by integrating reimbursement, clinical, market, and customer insights. The result? End-to-end solutions that support our customers across the full commercial journey.
