EviCore by Evernorth will add Guardant Health’s Shield blood test to its colorectal cancer screening coverage starting January 1, 2027, extending coverage across commercial payers in 23 states. Guardant says the move will bring the total number of people with coverage for Shield to approximately 94 million Americans ages 45 and older, following recent coverage expansions from Carelon and UnitedHealth Group.
Shield is an FDA-approved blood-based screening test for average-risk adults aged 45 and older. A positive result still requires follow-up colonoscopy to evaluate for colorectal cancer or advanced adenomas. Guardant reports that more than 200,000 Shield tests have been performed in real-world settings and cites studies showing more than 90% screening adherence, although these performance and adherence claims come from the company and its cited studies.