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Medicare Finalizes NGS Test Coverage For Advanced Cancers, Drops Evidence-Collection Provision

 
• By Sue Darcey

The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on March 16 that it will cover next-generation sequencing diagnostic laboratory tests for advanced cancers, broadening its final determination to cover use in relapsed, refractory and stage III cancers, while dropping "coverage with evidence development" conditions.

Medicare, Health Concept

A March 16 final Medicare national coverage determination (NCD) for next-generation sequencing-based diagnostics for advanced cancers should help patients gain wider access to the tests, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma says. CMS expanded its final NCD from an earlier proposal to cover more stages of cancer and ultimately did away with coverage-with-evidence-development (CED) data-collection responsibilities for test sponsors.

"We want cancer patients to have enhanced access and expanded coverage when it comes to innovative diagnostics that can help...

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More from Medtech Insight

Finland Cracks Down On Software That Needs Regulating As A Medical Devices

 
• By Amanda Maxwell

Finland has initiated a project to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring of software intended for medical use and to ensure that software placed on its market meets the requirements set for it. 

Milner Pitch Day: Multiomic Pathology, Microcancer Avatars And Cell Morphology Intelligence

 
• By Natasha Barrow

The Milner Institute, the on-campus hub for start-up acceleration at Cambridge University, hosted its annual Pitch Day on July 1. Start-ups Panakeia, PathwayBio and Sentinal4D presented diagnostic technologies.

Investors Urged To Prioritize Patient Engagement To Ensure Clients’ Products Succeed

 
• By Amanda Maxwell

To succeed in medtech, investors must focus on patient outcomes. Gilde Healthcare says involving patients boosts product effectiveness, access and market success — making it a smart strategy in today’s strained healthcare systems.