Medtech startup Lucence secures expanded US Medicare nod for cancer test
It enables patients to claim up to US$2,919 for the LiquidHallmark test, which profiles 80 genes and detects 15 types of cancer through a blood test
MEDTECH startup Lucence has received expanded Medicare approval for its LiquidHallmark cancer test to include the reimbursement for circulating tumour RNA analysis, under the United States’ federal health insurance programme.
This follows the 2023 approval of the cancer test for circulating tumour DNA analysis under Medicare.
The company now stands as the only provider with Medicare coverage for a test that combines both circulating tumour DNA and RNA analyses, Lucence said on Thursday (Jan 2).
Circulating tumour DNA and RNA analyses are diagnostic techniques used in cancer detection. They involve analysing fragments of genetic material shed by cancer cells into a patient’s bloodstream.
The expanded approval enables Medicare patients to claim up to US$2,919 for the LiquidHallmark test, which has a list price of US$4,700.
Out-of-pocket costs will depend on the individual plans, with co-pays or deductibles potentially applying. In some cases, private insurers may cover any remaining costs not covered by Medicare.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Medicare primarily serves individuals aged 65 and older, as well as younger people with certain disabilities.
In 2023, the programme provided coverage to more than 66 million Americans, with expenditures exceeding US$1 trillion.
Receiving appropriate treatment
LiquidHallmark profiles 80 genes and detects 15 types of cancer through a blood test.
Offering a faster and less-invasive alternative to traditional biopsies, which require tissue samples and take four to five weeks for results, it delivers results within one to two weeks.
This allows cancer patients to be matched with appropriate treatments more quickly.
The test is also available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Canada.
Lucence operates a laboratory in Singapore for processing blood tests, alongside a second facility in Palo Alto, California, which has been operational since 2020.
Lucence’s founding chief executive officer and medical director Tan Min-Han said that the latest Medicare approval ensures that more patients can benefit from advanced circulating tumour DNA and RNA testing, thus supporting precision care and better outcomes.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
