Today’s guidance will now allow women diagnosed with ovarian cancer to also access this counseling and testing as part of their coverage. The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance CEO Calaneet Balas issued the following statement in response:
“Today’s guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services closes the coverage gap on genetic counseling and testing for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It will no longer be cost-prohibitive or burdensome for these women to access the counseling and testing they need. The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance has long called for lawmakers and agencies to make this change and applauds this step toward better care and coverage for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.”
A fifth of women with ovarian cancer have a genetic predisposition to the disease. Genetic testing after an ovarian cancer diagnosis is critical to allowing women and their families to potentially avoid another cancer diagnosis, either by undergoing risk-reducing surgeries or using chemoprevention. Furthermore, women with ovarian cancer caused by BRCA mutations might be eligible for new personalized therapies.