SUFFERN, NY, Jan. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)) – WATS3D, an AI-powered diagnostic platform developed by CDx Diagnostics to identify precancerous and cancerous cells in the esophagus, is now considered a medically necessary service by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. In accordance with accepted standards of medical practice based on credible scientific evidence and gastrointestinal society recommendations, South Carolina’s largest privately-owned and operated health insurance carrier will now cover WATS3D testing for over 1.2 million members.
WATS3D overcomes the limitations associated with traditional upper endoscopy screening and surveillance methods through the use of a unique combination of superior sampling, advanced 3D imaging, and advanced Artificial Intelligence analysis to reliably detect Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and esophageal dysplasia. In large multicenter clinical trials, WATS3D was found to significantly increase the detection rate of both BE and esophageal dysplasia, demonstrating the far-reaching implications of the WATS3D Artificial Intelligence-powered diagnostic platform for diagnosing and preventing esophageal cancer, one of the fastest growing and most fatal cancers in the US.
“CDx Diagnostics, Inc. is excited to receive the medically necessary designation for WATS3D from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina,” said Bill Huffnagle, CEO of CDx Diagnostics. “South Carolina joins Massachusetts and Hawaii as states where insurers are recognizing the impact on patient outcomes and the importance of making WATS3D testing more widely available. Physicians in those states now have advanced technology and screening they can use in the fight against cancer while their patients have peace of mind in knowing the testing is covered through their insurance plans.”
CDx has completed the five major pillars of evidence-based medicine for WATS3D, including Analytic Validity, Clinical Validity, Clinical Utility, Cost Effectiveness and Recommendations by Major Medical Societies. The technology has earned recognition from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Foregut Society (AFS).
In 2019, the ASGE included WATS3D in its Standards of Practice Committee’s guideline for the screening and surveillance of BE. In 2020, the technology was deemed a safe and effective adjunct to forceps biopsies in the evaluation of BE, low-grade dysplasia, and high-grade dysplasia by SAGES and its Technology and Value Assessment Committee (TAVAC).
