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BCBS Rhode Island to Cover Exact Sciences' Cologuard

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Exact Sciences today announced an agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island to cover the firm's Cologuard colon cancer screening test. 

Starting Sept. 15, Cologuard will be available to BCBS' 500,000 members through their physicians without a co-payment or co-insurance, Exact Sciences said. The test was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in August 2014. Shortly afterward, CMS issued a final national coverage determination for it. 

A few weeks ago, a Medicare panel unanimously voted to keep the reimbursement rate for Cologuard at $492.72. 

The Scan

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