The Health Care Service Corporation and Florida Blue updated their policies to cover Exact Sciences' Cologuard.
Here are five things to know:
1. With the new expanded coverage, 80 million people now have access to Cologuard through their insurance provider,
2. HCSC's subsidiaries include Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Texas, Montana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
3. Under the updated HCSC policy, Cologuard may be considered medically necessary for colorectal cancer screening for average risk patients, once every three years.
4. Florida Blue's updated policy notes the "use of an FDA approved fecal DNA test (e.g. Cologuard) meets the definition of medical necessity once every three years as a screening technique for members in whom colorectal cancer preventive screening is indicated (per USPSTF Colorectal Cancer Screening Grade A recommendation)."
5. The FDA approved Cologuard in August 2014.