Below is the press release. I agree totally that others will follow -- they have no choice given the FDA's agreement that CYCTYC's test is a significant improvement. With each insurer that announces coverage, OB/GYNs will run out of reasons not to move to the ThinPrep test in 1997.
Any investors that missed out on this two weeks ago -- here is another chance for you!
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MINNEAPOLIS, Nov 20 (Reuter) - United HealthCare Corp said
it will expand its healthcare coverage to include the ThinPrep Pap Test, which is produced by Cytyc Corp (NASDAQ:CYTC). Cytyc announced earlier this month that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its claim that the ThinPrep Pap Test is significantly more effective than the 50-year-old Pap smear method of screening women for cervical cancer.
In May 1996, the FDA approved the ThinPrep Pap Test as a replacement for the conventional Pap smear method. "We think it's important that this new screening tool be included in our healthcare coverage," Lee Newcomer, United Healthcare's chief medical officer, said of the ThinPrep Pap Test.
The ThinPrep Pap Test allows a physician to collect the cervical cell sample in the usual manner. But rather than smearing a small portion of the cervical cells onto a slide, the collection device is rinsed in a vial of preservative solution, capturing virtually all of the cell sample, United HealthCare said.
"We applaud United HealthCare's decision to cover the ThinPrep Pap Test," said Patrick Sullivan, president of Boxborough, Mass.-based Cytyc.
Cytyc develops, makes and markets the ThinPrep System for medical diagnostic applications.
United Healthcare serves over 40 million individuals through a broad continuum of health care products and services. |
