While pass-through billing has long been a regular part of the lab landscape, some newer arrangements run afoul of payor policies and anti-kickback laws.
The firm is adding data on patient risk for radiographic progression and cardiovascular events to the test, which was recently included in the ACR guidelines.
Comments from Quest suggest lab buys are becoming more complex while others suggest hospitals will remain reluctant to sell so long as premium pricing persists.
The agreement gives Quanterix an opportunity to explore the clinical utility of its Nf-l marker without having to move its instruments into the clinical space.
The insurer's move to equalize rates across all lab sites has particularly impacted hospital-based facilities, which have typically received higher reimbursement.
While the laboratory industry hopes expanded price reporting will mitigate PAMA's impact, many labs, especially on the hospital side, may not be ready.
The company said it plans to move all its immunoassays to a single vendor, representing an opportunity worth between $250 million and $400 million annually.
