Medicare patients with inherited ovarian and breast cancer will have access to new, cutting-edge diagnostic tests after the program agreed Monday to provide national coverage of one of the most comprehensive genetic tests available.
The decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to cover laboratory tests using next-generation sequencing is expected to reduce deaths and improve health outcomes for cancer patients because it allows simultaneous detection of numerous types of genetic alterations.
Genetic tests provide a more complete profile of cancer cells and may help identify proven, targeted treatments, said a statement from the CMS. Patients who use…