Cancer sucks. Your chances of surviving cancer are much better when you find it early. Well, we’ve got great news: Medicare will now cover genetic evaluation of cancer by FDA-approved tests. It’s just saliva. No blood. No needles. All from home. Cancer screening increases the chances of detecting certain cancers early and might be easier to treat!
No Doctors Appointment Needed
Let’s be honest, genetic testing can be time consuming and expensive. Some tests cost more than others, and the final bill can be thousands of dollars. Yikes! Well, we’ve got great news for you: Medicare now pays for certain preventive health care services and some of the screening tests used to help find cancer with home-based saliva collection kits. No need to leave the comfort of your own home!
Better Safe Than Sorry
Sooner is almost always better when it comes to spotting cancer. It’s easier to treat if you catch it before it spreads. In today’s day and age, it is nearly impossible to find someone that has not been affected by cancer in one way or another. Whether its their mom, sister, aunt, grandma, neighbor, friend, or teacher, we all know someone who has suffered from cancer. Knowing your unique risks can help your doctor lower your odds of getting cancer. These at-home cancer DNA tests give you the power to take control of your health and help reduce your cancer risk.
Easy as 1-2-3
Just like those at-home ancestry tests you keep hearing about, Medicare now covers at-home cancer detection tests. With three simple steps, you’re one step closer to a healthier you. All you need to do is order your cancer DNA test and wait for it to come in the mail. Then you simply send your DNA, or a tube with your saliva, to the lab. The last step is to wait for your results to be mailed back to you and review the results. They have made the process as simple as possible!
Do I Qualify?
One of the best things you can do to lower your odds of getting cancer is to know your risks. With Medicare just implementing this new national policy, here is the following criteria that must be met to qualify for coverage of genetic testing.
The patient has:
• recurrent, relapsed, refractory, metastatic, or advanced stage III or IV cancer; and,
• not previously tested using the same genetic test for the same cancer diagnosis (repeat testing using the same genetic test is covered only when a new primary cancer diagnosis is made); and,
• decided to seek further cancer treatment (e.g., chemotherapy).
The laboratory/genetic test must have:
• Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval or clearance as a companion diagnostic; and,
• an FDA-approved or -cleared drug/treatment for use in the patient’s cancer; and,
• results provided to the physician for management of the patient’s cancer using a report that specifies treatment options