Guardant Health, Inc., a leading precision oncology company, announced that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana now offers coverage for the Guardant Reveal molecular residual disease (MRD) test. Guardant Reveal is a blood test that detects circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood after treatment, including surgery, to help oncologists identify cancer patients with residual or recurring disease who may benefit most from adjuvant therapy or surveillance. It was the first blood-only liquid biopsy test commercially available for MRD testing.
Effective July 10, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is providing coverage for the Guardant Reveal test for individuals with stage II or III colorectal cancer after curative treatment (including surgery) to inform physician decisions about post-treatment therapy and to monitor for disease progression, recurrence or relapse.
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The frequency of testing covered is aligned with monitoring guidelines established by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) for colorectal cancer. It includes the initial ctDNA test 4 to 6 weeks after surgery (or 2 to 4 weeks after completion of systemic therapy) and thereafter every 3 to 6 months for the first two years, and every 6 to 12 months for the following 3 years.
“We are pleased that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has taken this important step to make blood testing for residual disease more accessible,” said Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health chairman and co-CEO. “This will help oncologists make more informed decisions about treatment and monitoring for colorectal cancer patients and survivors.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana serves approximately 1.9 million members. This policy decision adds to the payor coverage of Guardant Reveal, which received Medicare coverage in August 2022.
SOURCE: BusinessWire