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Reimbursement for AMD genetic testing in question
To the Editor:
“Genetic testing for AMD first step toward personalized medicine in eye care” (November 2017) contains misleading and erroneous information.
For example, the comment, “It was only recently, in May 2017, that Medicare and Medicaid issued a positive coverage decision for the Macula Risk PGx and Vita Risk (Arctic) tests once again,” is incorrect. I was in contact with the medical director of the group that was charged with making a recommendation concerning genetic testing for AMD. That group had initially recommended against coverage, then reversed that recommendation and suggested coverage for one test per lifetime, but this, apparently, was never adopted as policy by Medicare or Medicaid. I was specifically told “the Vita Risk assay is not covered by Medicare.”
And then the group was planning another reversal recommending non-coverage “due to new analyses and information.” I have not seen that report posted on the CMS website. The new information is, I assume, a paper that is in press in the journal, Ophthalmology, entitled, “Genetic polymorphisms of CFH and ARMS2 do not predict response to antioxidants and zinc in patients with age-related macular degeneration.”
It is important that publications like yours verify information that is received so as not to misinform practitioners and, more importantly, patients depending on these practitioners for advice and care.
- Reference:
- Assel MJ, et al. Ophthalmology. 2017;doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2017.09.008.
- Jerry Rapp, PhD
- Professor, Department of Biological and Vision Sciences, SUNY College of OptometryNew York
Disclosure: Rapp reports no relevant financial disclosures.