By Christopher P. Young, Editor, G2 Compliance Advisor
The Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) is meeting on March 24 to consider evidence about the prognostic capability of certain molecular pathology tests that may have significant affect on the future coverage of molecular pathology and genetic testing. Recent updates to the CMS website include the meeting agenda, a list of the tests that will be reviewed, a list of voter questions, speakers’ presentations and other related material.
During the one-day meeting, the committee will be looking at tests involving Adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum, invasive breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Some of the tests specifically being reviewed include BRAF, KRAS and Oncotype DX® Colon for colon cancer, MammaPrint® and Oncotype DX Breast for breast cancer and EGFR for lung cancer, among others. There is a table on the website that lists all of the specific tests that will be reviewed.
According to the notice posted on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website, the agency is looking for information on both the beneficial and the harmful outcomes experienced by patients who have used information resulting from the test to make treatment decisions. CMS is looking for outcomes information such as mortality/survival, quality of life, and avoiding harms of anti-cancer treatment.
The official meeting notice was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 23. The meeting is open to the public but there will be limited time for public comment. If more stakeholders seek to make a public comment than time allows for, a lottery determines who presents. For more information see the Jan. 26 issue of National Intelligence Report.