MADISON, Wis., Dec. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) announced today that under a recently-signed contract, Humana Inc. agreed to cover Cologuard as an in-network service for its members, effective January 1, 2017. Under terms of the agreement, Cologuard will be available to most Humana beneficiaries with no co-pay. Humana covers nearly 10 million beneficiaries and is the nation’s fifth largest commercial insurer.
“As demand for Cologuard grows, this contract marks an opportunity to increase access to colon cancer screening among Humana’s beneficiaries who now can choose Cologuard and its wrap-around compliance service,” said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. “We believe this decision by one of the nation’s largest health insurers reflects a growing understanding that Cologuard can detect more cancers earlier and reduce costs in the health system.”
With Humana’s inclusion of Cologuard as an in-network service, the test is now covered by a cross-section of health plans nationwide with more than 153 million members. This is an increase of more than 50 million members since June 2016 when Cologuard was included as an A-rated service in the colorectal cancer screening guidelines of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. More than 68 percent of Cologuard’s addressable population are enrolled in plans that cover the test.
About Cologuard
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014 and results from Exact Sciences’ prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2014. Cologuard is included in the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and the American Cancer Society’s (2014) colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Stool DNA is included in the combined screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society/U.S. Multi-Society Task Force/American College of Radiology (2008), the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines (2009) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 50 years or older, who are at average risk for colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not for everyone and is not a replacement for diagnostic colonoscopy or surveillance colonoscopy in high-risk individuals. False positives and false negatives do occur. Any positive test result should be followed by a diagnostic colonoscopy. Following a negative result, patients should continue participating in a screening program at an interval and with a method appropriate for the individual patient. Cologuard performance when used for repeat testing has not been evaluated or established. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.CologuardTest.com. Rx Only.
About Exact Sciences Corp.
Exact Sciences Corp. is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the early detection and prevention of the deadliest forms of cancer. The company has exclusive intellectual property protecting its non-invasive, molecular screening technology for the detection of colorectal cancer. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences or find Exact Sciences on Facebook.
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CONTACT: JP Fielder, 608-210-5220, jpfielder@exactsciences.com
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SOURCE EXACT SCIENCES CORP