MADISON, Wis., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) today announced that Cologuard® is included in the Medicare Advantage Advance Notice and Draft Call letter.  Cologuard's inclusion in the final Star Ratings will allow Medicare Advantage plans to increase their Star Rating when patients complete Exact Sciences' non-invasive colon cancer screening test.

"The proposed inclusion of Cologuard in the Star Ratings program is an important step toward it becoming a standard of care for colon cancer screening," said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences.  "Health insurers would be eligible to receive Medicare Advantage Star Rating quality credit when their members are screened using Cologuard."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Advantage Star Ratings are directly impacted by the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS). The HEDIS quality measures were updated by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) on October 3, 2016, to include Cologuard on an every three-year screening schedule.   

CMS's proposal to broaden the colorectal cancer screening quality measure is subject to a 60-day public comment period.  The proposal aligns the Star Ratings with the HEDIS quality ratings and the colorectal cancer screening guidelines of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American Cancer Society and others.  Just as HEDIS 2017 quality measures are used to audit and report the 2016 performance of providers and health systems, the Stars Ratings use the HEDIS data to calculate the quality performance of Medicare Advantage plans.

"CMS has stated that a goal of the Star Ratings system is to inform Medicare Advantage beneficiaries when comparing plans and to drive plans toward higher quality and more efficient care," Conroy said.  "Cologuard complements these intentions by offering health plans an opportunity to improve their quality ratings by increasing screening and patient satisfaction."

About Cologuard
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014 and results from Exact Sciences' prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2014. Cologuard is included in the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and the American Cancer Society's (2014) colorectal cancer screening guidelines.  Stool DNA is included in the combined screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society/U.S. Multi-Society Task Force/American College of Radiology (2008), the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines (2009) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 50 years or older, who are at average risk for colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not for everyone and is not a replacement for diagnostic colonoscopy or surveillance colonoscopy in high-risk individuals. False positives and false negatives do occur. Any positive test result should be followed by a diagnostic colonoscopy. Following a negative result, patients should continue participating in a screening program at an interval and with a method appropriate for the individual patient. Cologuard performance when used for repeat testing has not been evaluated or established. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.CologuardTest.com. Rx Only.

About Exact Sciences Corp.
Exact Sciences Corp. is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the early detection and prevention of the deadliest forms of cancer. The company has exclusive intellectual property protecting its non-invasive, molecular screening technology for the detection of colorectal cancer. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences or find Exact Sciences on Facebook.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding Cologuard's potential inclusion in the Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, expected future operating results, anticipated results of our sales and marketing efforts, expectations concerning payor reimbursement and the anticipated results of our product development efforts. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully and profitably market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by patients and healthcare providers; our ability to meet demand for our products and services; the willingness of health insurance companies and other payors to cover Cologuard and reimburse us for our performance of the Cologuard test; the amount and nature of competition from other cancer screening products and services; the effects of the adoption, modification or repeal of any healthcare reform law, rule, order, interpretation or policy; the effects of changes in healthcare pricing, coverage and reimbursement; recommendations, guidelines and quality metrics issued by various organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American Cancer Society, and the National Committee for Quality Assurance regarding cancer screening or our products and services; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals and comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequently filed Quarterly Report(s) on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Exact Sciences Corp.
Contact: J.P. Fielder
+1 608 210 5220
[email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cms-proposes-inclusion-of-cologuard-in-medicare-advantage-star-ratings-300401052.html

SOURCE EXACT SCIENCES CORP