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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to Cover CombiMatrix's Services

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – CombiMatrix announced today that it has entered into a contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, the largest health plan in the state. Under the deal, BCBSIL members will have access to CombiMatrix's menu of CombiSNP microarray-based diagnostic testing services for developmental disorders and oncology.

CombiMatrix CEO Mark McDonough in a statement called the BCBSIL deal a "significant benefit to us as we continue to invest in this territory." He noted that Irvine, Calif.-based CombiMatrix recently expanded its sales and marketing presence in the Midwest and has seen increased sales activity as a result.

CombiMatrix has announced agreements with a number of organizations to expand access to its services this year. In July, Atlanta-based preferred provider organization network Stratose said it would cover CombiMatrix's suite of tests. In March, CombiMatrix partnered with American Pathology Partners to offer its microarray-based miscarriage testing service. And in January, it contracted with Galaxy Health Network to provide coverage of its tests for Galaxy's 3.5 million covered lives.

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