NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Veracyte announced yesterday that its Afirma Thyroid FNA analysis test, which uses a set of gene expression signatures to differentiate benign thyroid nodules from cancerous ones, will become an Aetna in-network test beginning July 1.
Afirma employs a 142-gene signature to identify benign thyroid nodules in patients whose fine needle aspiration biopsies are deemed indeterminate following traditional cytopathology review and thus face a potentially unnecessary diagnostic surgery.
The test first received a positive coverage decision by Aetna in mid-2013.
Aetna has approximately 46 million members in the US. Veracyte said that the Afirma test is currently covered for about 150 million individuals through Medicare and various commercial insurance plans.