The final decision includes some changes, most notably removing requirements for guideline inclusion, but retains its technical performance benchmarks.
The agency issued a new draft decision memo, outlining various criteria it intends to apply when determining coverage for current and future blood-based CRC screening tests.
The pandemic has underscored the importance of "bringing the trial to the patient," a concept that is likely to persist, particularly in precision oncology.
The final national coverage decision stipulates that NGS germline tests for assessing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk must have FDA's blessing.
The LCD will provide coverage for the Decipher Prostate Biopsy genomic test for men with both favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer.
In response to CMS reopening its national coverage determination to address its germline testing policy, stakeholders point out areas of concern and confusion.
CMS had received significant stakeholder feedback that germline NGS testing is not the same as somatic testing, and that the NCD as written would negatively impact patients.