Blood test for colorectal cancer screening now available for military in La.

Guardant Health Inc., a leading precision oncology company, has announced its Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening (CRC) is now covered for active-duty service members and their families, including in Louisiana, through TRICARE, the U.S. military's health insurance coverage, with no copay for average-risk individuals ages 45 and older.

Shield is the first and only blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for CRC, offering U.S. military troops in Louisiana a more pleasant and convenient option for screening by overcoming barriers associated with other screening methods.

According to the Department of Defense, there are approximately 1.3 million active-duty service members in the U.S. Those above the age of 45 – along with their families of screening-eligible age – will now have access to Shield, the latest innovation in CRC screening.

"Continuing to expand coverage for Shield across the U.S. from our nation's veterans to our active-duty service members will help provide greater access to Shield's life-saving screening benefit from just a blood draw," said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. "TRICARE has a long history of bringing the most impactful technologies at the forefront of science to support our troops in being proactive about their health care. We're proud to see Shield selected as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer to empower those who serve to catch cancer early when it's more treatable."

TRICARE coverage for Shield is a game-changer for the 13,485 active-duty service members living in Louisiana and their families who now have access to a more convenient way to get screened.

CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Louisiana. The American Cancer Society estimated 2,490 Louisianans would be diagnosed with CRC in 2025 alone, and 830 would die from the disease. The five-year survival rate for CRC is 91 percent five-year survival if caught early. Shield is covered by Medicare and the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network and is commercially available across the U.S.