Guardant Health’s Shield blood test is now covered for eligible UnitedHealth Group members aged 45 and older. Guardant says no other major commercial insurer had done that before.
The company announced the change on July 1. About 40 million Americans are covered by UnitedHealth plans, a pool that takes in employer and individual coverage, Medicare Advantage and supplemental Medicare. The policy applies to people at average risk of colorectal cancer. It does not extend to those at high risk.
What the test does
Shield is a blood-based screening test. It looks for alterations in the blood that are associated with colorectal cancer, using a method called methylation partitioning of cell-free DNA. A patient can have it done during a routine doctor’s visit with a single blood draw, at any healthcare visit.
It is not a diagnosis. A positive result raises concern about colorectal cancer or an advanced adenoma, and the patient is then referred for a colonoscopy.
Guardant describes Shield as the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening in average-risk adults 45 and older. The company also says it is the only FDA-approved blood test included in both the American Cancer Society and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. It cites real-world evidence published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Why now
Colorectal cancer rates have been rising among adults under 65, according to the announcement, and it is the leading cause of cancer death for people under 50.
AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health’s co-CEO, said more than 100 million people across America now have access to Shield. He called the UnitedHealth decision “a critical milestone in our commercial expansion to make colorectal cancer screening more accessible.”
Guardant, founded in 2012 and listed on Nasdaq as GH, also sells blood and tissue tests for monitoring recurrence and selecting treatment in advanced cancer.
Anyone weighing a screening choice should consult a doctor.
