Aetna joins Humana and United Healthcare in providing Medicare Advantage coverage for beneficiaries who meet medical necessity criteria for the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton

Together, these three national Medicare Advantage insurers represent approximately 16 million beneficiaries across the United States

HUDSON, Mass. and YOKNEAM ILLIT, Israel, Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lifeward Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFWD) (“Lifeward” or the “Company”), a global leader in innovative medical technology designed to transform the lives of people with physical limitations or disabilities, today announced that Aetna has issued a prior authorization for a Medicare Advantage beneficiary to obtain the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton, recognizing the device as medically necessary for a qualifying individual living with spinal cord injury. With Aetna's decision, coverage for the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton now spans three of the largest Medicare Advantage insurers, as UnitedHealthcare and Humana have also issued prior authorizations for qualified beneficiaries.

"Aetna's decision represents meaningful progress in expanding access to evidence-based advanced rehabilitation technology," said Mark Grant, CEO of Lifeward. "As leading Medicare Advantage insurers independently review the clinical evidence and reach consistent medical necessity determinations, it reinforces that exoskeleton-assisted walking serves as an appropriate therapeutic intervention for qualified individuals living with spinal cord injury."

The ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton System is an FDA-approved technology designed to enable individuals with spinal cord injury to achieve functional ambulation. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated the system's benefits related to ambulation, musculoskeletal health, and cardiopulmonary function.

These recent prior authorization approvals carry significant meaning for patients and providers who have long advocated for broader access to exoskeletal rehabilitation technology. Among those benefiting from the expanded coverage landscape is a nurse living with thoracic spinal cord injury whose Medicare Advantage plan authorized a ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton.

"As a nurse for 15 years and someone who sustained a spinal cord injury in 2022, I understand both professionally and personally how life-changing this kind of technology can and will be for so many," the beneficiary said. "I've cared for patients navigating spinal cord injuries, and I live that reality every single day. Access to innovative mobility devices means more than movement; it means dignity, healing, and a renewed sense of independence. Having a favorable decision for my Aetna Advantage plan for this device is groundbreaking; it opens the door for others in our community to experience that same opportunity for progress and possibility."

With prior authorizations from three of the largest Medicare Advantage insurers, beneficiaries who qualify may now pursue access to the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton. Lifeward continues to collaborate closely with insurers, clinicians, and rehabilitation professionals to integrate advanced rehabilitation technology as a critical element of spinal cord injury management.

To learn more about the Lifeward mission and product portfolio, please visit GoLifeward.com.

About Lifeward
Lifeward designs, develops, and commercializes life-changing solutions that span the continuum of care in physical rehabilitation and recovery, delivering proven functional and health benefits in clinical settings as well as in the home and community. Our mission at Lifeward is to relentlessly drive innovation to change the lives of individuals with physical limitations or disabilities. We are committed to delivering groundbreaking solutions that empower individuals to do what they love. The Lifeward portfolio features innovative products including the ReWalk Exoskeleton, the AlterG Anti-Gravity systems, the ReStore Exo-Suit, and the MyoCycle FES Systems.

Founded in 2001, Lifeward has operations in the United States, Israel, and Germany. For more information on the Lifeward product portfolio, please visit GoLifeward.com.

ReWalk^®, ReStore^® and Alter G^® are registered trademarks of ReWalk Robotics Ltd. (DBA Lifeward) and/or its affiliates.    

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 concerning Lifeward, Oramed, the strategic investment and partnership agreement with Oramed (collectively, the “Proposed Transactions”) and other matters. Such forward looking statements may include projections regarding the Company's future performance and other statements that are not statements of historical fact and, in some cases, may be identified by words like "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "future," "will," "should," "would," "seek" and similar terms or phrases. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's current expectations, which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company’s control. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements include, among others: Lifeward’s and Oramed’s management teams’ expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future including, without limitation, statements regarding: the reverse share split allowing us to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement, the structure, timing and completion of the Proposed Transactions; perceived benefits or opportunities of the Proposed Transactions; timing of closing of the Proposed Transactions, expected proceeds, expectations regarding the use of proceeds, and impact on ownership structure; the anticipated timing of the closing; the future operations of Lifeward, including research and development activities; the nature, strategy and focus of Lifeward; anticipated clinical drug development activities and related timelines, including the initiation of the planned clinical trial and other clinical results; the sufficiency of post-transaction resources to support the advancement of Lifeward’s pipeline through certain milestones and the time period over which Lifeward’s post-transaction capital resources will be sufficient to fund its anticipated operations; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Proposed Transactions; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the Proposed Transactions; and legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments; the acceptance of the ReWalk 7 Personal Exoskeleton by healthcare professionals and patients; uncertainties associated with future clinical trials and the clinical development process, the product development process and FDA regulatory submission review and approval process; the Company's ability to have sufficient funds to meet certain future capital requirements, which could impair the Company's efforts to develop and commercialize existing and new products; the Company's ability to maintain and grow its reputation and the market acceptance of its products; the Company's ability to achieve reimbursement from third-party payors, including CMS, for its products; the Company's limited operating history and its ability to leverage its sales, marketing and training infrastructure; the Company's expectations as to its clinical research program and clinical results; the Company's expectations regarding future growth, including its ability to increase sales in its existing geographic markets and expand to new markets; the Company's ability to obtain certain components of its products from third-party suppliers and its continued access to its product manufacturers; the Company’s ability to navigate any difficulties associated with moving production of its AlterG Anti-Gravity Systems to a contract manufacturer and transitioning the manufacturing of its ReWalk products to its in-house manufacturer; the Company's ability to improve its products and develop new products; the Company's compliance with medical device reporting regulations to report adverse events involving the Company's products, which could result in voluntary corrective actions or enforcement actions such as mandatory recalls, and the potential impact of such adverse events on the Company's ability to market and sell its products; the Company's ability to gain and maintain regulatory approvals; the Company's ability to maintain adequate protection of its intellectual property and to avoid violation of the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of a cybersecurity attack or breach of the Company's IT systems significantly disrupting its business operations; the Company's ability to use effectively the proceeds of its offerings of securities; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from the statements contained herein may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Contact:

Almog Adar
Chief Financial Officer
Lifeward

E: media@golifeward.com
E: ir@golifeward.com