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Cypress Bioscience Test Gets Positive Medicare Reimbursement Decision

By a GenomeWeb staff reporter

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Cypress Bioscience said that it has received a positive coverage determination from a Medicare administrator for its testing service aimed at helping physicians prescribe a rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

The San Diego-based firm said that Palmetto GBA, an administrator for Medicare Part B in California, issued the positive coverage determination for its Avise PG testing service. The testing service helps physicians make decisions regarding methotrexate therapy.

"This decision to include Avise PG in the Medicare reimbursement guidelines was based upon a demonstration of the clinical validity and utility of the test, providing physicians with insight into their patient's metabolism of methotrexate," Mike Gendreau, chief medical officer of Cypress, said in a statement.

The firm noted that more than 10,000 Avise PG tests have been conducted since its launch as a testing service at the American College of Rheumatology meeting in late 2008.