CMS Issues Preliminary Determination Maintaining Cologuard® Reimbursement Rate
MADISON, Wis.—(BUSINESS WIRE)— Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a preliminary determination maintaining the current reimbursement rate for Cologuard, the company's non-invasive, stool DNA-based colon cancer screening test.
CMS considered reimbursement for a new CPT billing code for Cologuard (81528), as well as a request for reconsideration of Cologuard's current reimbursement rate. In its determination, CMS approved a crosswalk of the new CPT code for Cologuard to three existing codes, which yield a current reimbursement rate of $492.72. The new CPT code replaces the G code assigned to Cologuard as part of CMS' national coverage determination from October, 2014.
"We are pleased with CMS' preliminary determination regarding Cologuard's reimbursement rate and coding," said Kevin T. Conroy, Exact Sciences' chairman and chief executive. "Both Medicare and commercial payors are accustomed to using CPT codes and they facilitate the smooth processing of claims. We have worked cooperatively with CMS and appreciate their continued support of Cologuard as a valuable non-invasive screening option for patients and providers."
After a period of public comment, CMS' decision will be finalized in November and will become effective on Jan. 1, 2016.
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 colorectal cancer screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society and stool DNA is listed in the screening guidelines of the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer.
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 some of the deadliest forms of cancer. The company has exclusive intellectual property protecting its noninvasive, molecular screening technology for the detection of colorectal cancer. Cologuard is included in the colorectal cancer screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society and stool DNA is included in the guidelines of the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. For more information, please follow us on Twitter @ExactSciences or find us on Facebook.
Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding expected future operating results, anticipated results of our sales and marketing efforts, expectations concerning payor reimbursement and the anticipated results of our product development efforts. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully and profitably market our products; the acceptance of our products by patients and health care providers; the risk that CMS' preliminary pricing decision may differ from the agency's final determination; the amount and nature of competition from other cancer screening products and procedures; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals and comply with applicable regulations; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative and licensing arrangements; our ability to successfully develop new products; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150928005457/en/
Exact Sciences
Cara Tucker, 614-302-5622
ctucker@exactsciences.com
Source: Exact Sciences Corp.
