NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Myriad Genetics today expanded its patient financial assistance program to include some who are underinsured.
Under the expanded program, Myriad will offer financial assistance to certain underinsured patients so that they have to pay out-of-pocket costs of no more than $375. To be eligible, patients must have private insurance, meet their insurers' coverage criteria for testing, and have a household income that does not exceed 200 percent of the Federal financial poverty level, Myriad said.
The expanded program covers all of the Salt Lake City firm's diagnostic tests. Myriad already offered financial assistance to uninsured patients. Those who met medical society guidelines and whose income was below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level did not have to pay Myriad for diagnostic testing.
Myriad also has been offering interest-free tailored payment programs to all patients, it said. It added that to date, it has helped more than 35,000 patients receive molecular diagnostic test through its patient financial assistance programs.
"We recognize that a large number of Americans are underinsured and have many expenses that raise their healthcare costs," Myriad President and CEO Peter Meldrum, said in a statement. "We want to ensure that those with the greatest financial need have access to our diagnostic tests and this new component of our financial assistance program will make that possible. A lack of financial resources should not be an impediment to quality healthcare."
Last month, Myriad had some of its patent claims related to its BRACAnalysis test invalidated by the US Supreme Court. Last week, it sued two firms, Ambry Genetics and Gene by Gene, alleging infringement of patent claims related to BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes.