LCD announces coverage for PGx testing under Medicare

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have posted a FUTURE Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for MolDX: Pharmacogenomics Testing (L38294). This includes broad coverage for pharmacogenomic testing to go in effect this summer.

CPIC provided presentations to Palmetto prior to their draft LCD, and provided written comments on LCD ID L38294 back in November of 2019. CPIC members were instrumental in the feedback provided, and many of CPIC’s suggestions have been incorporated, and CPIC guidelines are cited throughout their document. For example, their post states:  “PGx tests are indicated when medications are being considered for use (or already being administered) that are medically necessary, appropriate, and approved for use in the patient’s condition and are known to have a gene(s)-drug interaction that has been demonstrated to be clinically actionable as defined by the FDA (PGx information required for safe drug administration) or Clinical Pharmacogenetic Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines (category A and B).”

The LCD defines ‘actionable use’ of PGx as “when the genotype information may lead to selection of or avoidance of a specific therapy or modification of dosage of a therapy. The selection, avoidance, or dose change must be based on the FDA-label for the drug, an FDA warning or safety concern, or a CPIC level A or B gene-drug interaction”. PharmGKB uses the ‘Alternate Drug’ and ‘Dosing Info’ tags to highlight drug label annotations where the label contains information about contraindications or dosing changes based on genotype information. These tags can be used to filter our table of drug label annotations.