NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Exact Sciences announced today that its Cologuard colon cancer screening test will now be covered by Health Care Services (HCSC) and Florida Blue under updated medical policies.
With the addition of the 18 million individuals covered by the two insurers, a total of 80 million people are now insured by plans with positive medical policies regarding Cologuard, Exact said.
"We are pleased that Cologuard's commercial coverage continues to broaden following its inclusion in the recently updated US Preventive Services Task Force colorectal cancer screening recommendations," Exact Chairman and CEO Kevin Conroy said in a statement.
Under HCSC's updated policy, which goes into effect on August 15, Cologuard may be considered medically necessary for colorectal cancer screening once every three years for average risk patients who are not up to date with screening, according to Exact.
Under Florida Blue' new policy, the use of an FDA-approved fecal DNA test "meets the definition of medical necessity once every three years as a screening technique for members in whom colorectal cancer preventive screening is indicated."
Cologuard, which was approved by US regulators in 2014, gauges altered DNA in stool associated with colon cancer or precancer risk.