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BCBS Plan Covers Interpace MDx Tests for Thyroid Cancer

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Interpace Diagnostics today announced that an independent Blue Cross Blue Shield plan has begun covering the firm's ThyGenX Thyroid Oncogene Panel and ThyraMIR Thyroid miRNA Classifier, molecular tests for indeterminate thyroid nodules. 

Interpace, a subsidiary of PDI, did not identify the BCBS plan but said that it insures 3.3 million lives and added that it is the first commercial plan to cover ThyraMIR, a microRNA gene expression classifier launched earlier this year for identifying indeterminate benign and malignant thyroid nodules. 

The coverage decision follows a recent similar decision by Aetna to cover ThyGenX, a next-generation sequencing-based gene mutation panel for risk stratification and surgical decision-making. The test is used when standard cytopathology does not provide a clear diagnosis of thyroid cancer. 

Interpace added that an unidentified contracted national plan recently extended coverage of its PancraGen pancreatic cyst cancer risk stratification test to an additional 1.3 million lives, bringing the plan's total covered lives for the test to 10 million. Also, a BCBS plan has renewed PancraGen contract coverage for 5.9 million lives, Interpace said.

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