NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – BioTheranostics today said that it has received a positive coverage decision and in-network provider status from Tufts Health Plan for its CancerTypeID molecular cancer classifier.
Tufts has more than 1 million members.
CancerTypeID predicts tumor types in patients with metastatic cancers. The real time, RT-PCR based assay determines the tumor site of origin by using the differential expression of 92 genes, and among the tumor types the product classifies are melanoma, kidney, thyroid, ovary, brain, sarcoma, and others, according to BioTheranostics' website.
"With metastatic cancer, achieving diagnostic certainty is critical to optimize site-directed therapies that reduce costs and avoid ineffective therapies for both patients and payors," BioTheranostics' President and CEO Richard Ding said in a statement. "This announcement is part of our efforts to work with payors across the country to make this important diagnostic test available to clinicians and cancer patients, helping to support personalized medicine with the goal of improving outcomes."
The San Diego-headquartered firm announced earlier this month that it became an in-network provider of Highmark Health Services, and based on a Highmark member's individual benefits, the patient may have access to CancerTypeID as an in-network service.