Anthem to Cover C2N Diagnostics’ PrecivityAD2® Blood Test, Expanding Access to Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnostics Beginning October 2026
C2N Diagnostics, LLC, a specialty diagnostics company focused on advancing precision medicine through innovative diagnostic technologies, has announced a significant milestone in Alzheimer’s disease testing. Beginning October 1, 2026, eligible members enrolled in Anthem® Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® health plans will become the first privately insured patients in the United States to receive insurance coverage under a medical policy for the company’s PrecivityAD2® blood test.
The new coverage policy is expected to expand access to blood-based Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics by reducing financial barriers for eligible patients whose healthcare providers determine that testing is medically appropriate. The decision represents an important development in the growing adoption of minimally invasive biomarker testing for neurodegenerative diseases and reflects increasing recognition of blood-based diagnostics as valuable tools in the evaluation of cognitive impairment.
The PrecivityAD2® blood test is designed to assist healthcare professionals in determining the likelihood that an individual has amyloid plaques in the brain, one of the defining pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease. By providing clinicians with additional diagnostic information through a simple blood sample, the test may support earlier and more informed clinical decision-making for adults experiencing memory loss, cognitive decline, or other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Expanding Access to Alzheimer’s Disease Testing
The introduction of insurance coverage marks a significant step toward making advanced Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics more broadly available.
Historically, confirming the presence of Alzheimer’s-related brain pathology has often required expensive or invasive diagnostic procedures, limiting access for many patients.
Advanced diagnostic options such as amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis can provide important clinical information but are not always readily accessible due to cost, limited availability, or the invasive nature of lumbar puncture procedures.
Blood-based biomarker tests have emerged as promising alternatives because they can be performed using routine blood collection while providing information that may assist physicians during diagnostic evaluations.
By covering the PrecivityAD2® blood test, Anthem is helping reduce financial barriers that may previously have prevented some patients from receiving advanced diagnostic testing.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects millions of people worldwide.
The disease develops gradually, often beginning with subtle memory problems before progressing to more significant impairments in thinking, reasoning, communication, and daily functioning.
Early diagnosis has become increasingly important as new therapeutic options emerge that may be most effective during the earlier stages of disease.
Accurate diagnosis can also help patients and families better understand symptoms, plan future care, access support services, and make informed medical decisions.
For healthcare professionals, reliable diagnostic information supports treatment planning and helps distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from other conditions that may produce similar cognitive symptoms.
Understanding Amyloid Plaques
One of the primary pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques within the brain.
These abnormal protein deposits begin developing many years before significant clinical symptoms become apparent.
Detection of amyloid pathology has therefore become an important component of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and clinical research.
Traditionally, physicians have relied on two primary methods for evaluating brain amyloid:
- Amyloid PET imaging
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker analysis
Although both methods provide valuable clinical information, they present practical challenges related to accessibility, cost, availability, and patient acceptance.
Blood-based biomarkers offer a less invasive alternative that may improve access to amyloid assessment.
How the PrecivityAD2® Blood Test Works
The PrecivityAD2® blood test is intended to assist healthcare professionals in estimating the likelihood that amyloid plaques are present in the brain.
Rather than serving as a standalone diagnostic tool, the test is designed to complement comprehensive clinical evaluation.
Physicians may incorporate blood biomarker results alongside:
- Medical history
- Cognitive assessments
- Neurological examinations
- Brain imaging
- Laboratory testing
- Other clinical findings
This integrated approach allows clinicians to develop a more complete understanding of an individual’s cognitive condition while supporting evidence-based diagnostic decisions.
Because the test requires only a blood sample, it offers a minimally invasive option that may be more convenient for both patients and healthcare providers.
Supporting Clinical Decision-Making
The expanded availability of blood biomarker testing has the potential to improve diagnostic workflows across multiple healthcare settings.
Many patients first seek evaluation for memory concerns in primary care practices rather than specialized memory clinics.
Primary care physicians often face challenges determining which patients require referral for advanced neurological evaluation.
Blood-based biomarkers may help identify patients who would benefit from additional testing while also providing reassurance when Alzheimer’s pathology appears less likely.
Improved access to diagnostic information may contribute to earlier specialist referral, more timely treatment planning, and better coordination of patient care.
Evidence Supporting the Medical Policy
Anthem based its coverage decision on multiple published scientific studies evaluating the clinical performance and utility of the PrecivityAD2® blood test.
One of the key studies cited by the insurer was a landmark investigation published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
According to the findings, the PrecivityAD2® blood test demonstrated high agreement with brain amyloid status, correctly identifying amyloid pathology in more than 90% of evaluated patients.
Importantly, the study included patients evaluated both in primary care settings and specialized memory clinics.
The reported diagnostic performance was comparable to more invasive cerebrospinal fluid testing and expensive amyloid PET imaging, supporting the potential role of blood biomarkers in routine clinical practice.
Evidence of Clinical Utility
In addition to diagnostic accuracy, Anthem also considered research examining how blood biomarker results influence physician decision-making.
A separate peer-reviewed study published in the journal Diagnostics evaluated the impact of the PrecivityAD2® test on clinical practice.
Researchers found that healthcare professionals reported increased confidence when determining whether Alzheimer’s disease was likely after reviewing test results.
Greater diagnostic confidence translated into meaningful changes in patient management.
According to the published findings, clinicians adjusted:
- Alzheimer’s disease treatment plans
- Decisions regarding additional amyloid testing
- Diagnostic evaluations
- Overall clinical management strategies
These observations suggest that blood biomarker testing may provide information capable of influencing real-world medical care.
Serving Millions of Members
Anthem is currently the second-largest health insurer in the United States, providing medical coverage to approximately 40 million members.
Its health plans serve patients across 14 states, including:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Portions of New York
Because of Anthem’s extensive membership, the new medical policy has the potential to significantly expand patient access to advanced Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics.
The decision may also influence future coverage determinations by other commercial and public health insurers.
Leadership Perspective
C2N Diagnostics President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joel Braunstein described the policy as an important milestone for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
He noted that insurance coverage helps remove financial obstacles while improving access to clinically validated blood biomarker testing.
According to Braunstein, minimally invasive diagnostic approaches such as the PrecivityAD2® blood test can facilitate timely evaluation for individuals experiencing memory concerns.
He also expressed hope that Anthem’s decision will encourage additional public and private insurers to adopt similar coverage policies, allowing more patients nationwide to benefit from advances in Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics.
Patient Experience
C2N also shared the experience of Dana Abendschein, a patient from Valley Park, Missouri, whose clinician used the PrecivityAD2® blood test as part of the diagnostic evaluation for Alzheimer’s disease.
According to Abendschein, the test helped confirm his diagnosis and enabled him to begin appropriate treatment.
He emphasized that broader insurance coverage for diagnostic testing may help more individuals receive earlier and more accurate diagnoses, allowing patients to better manage their condition while maintaining quality of life for as long as possible.
His experience illustrates the potential impact that improved access to diagnostic technologies can have on patient care.
Nationwide Availability
The PrecivityAD2® blood test is currently available throughout all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Healthcare professionals can order the test for eligible adult patients undergoing evaluation for cognitive decline or symptoms suggestive of Alzheimer’s disease.
Availability across the country positions the test for broader adoption as additional insurers evaluate coverage policies for blood-based Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
The decision by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to provide insurance coverage for the PrecivityAD2® blood test represents an important milestone in the evolution of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Beginning October 1, 2026, eligible members will gain access to a clinically validated, minimally invasive blood test that assists healthcare professionals in evaluating the likelihood of amyloid plaque pathology, one of the defining biological features of Alzheimer’s disease.
Supported by published clinical evidence demonstrating high agreement with established diagnostic methods and improved physician confidence in clinical decision-making, the PrecivityAD2® test reflects the growing role of blood-based biomarkers in neurological care. As demand for earlier and more accessible Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis continues to increase, broader insurance coverage may help expand access to innovative diagnostic technologies, support timely treatment decisions, and improve care for patients experiencing cognitive decline and memory-related disorders.
About C2N Diagnostics, LLC
C2N is a specialty diagnostics company with a vision to bring Clarity Through Innovation®. C2N strives to provide exceptional clinical laboratory services and advanced diagnostic solutions in the field of brain health. C2N’s high-resolution mass spectrometry-based biomarker services and products are used for: clinical decision-making to improve patient care, including diagnosis and treatment monitoring; maximizing the quality and efficiency of clinical trials that test novel treatments for neurodegeneration; and providing innovative tools to help health care researchers better understand novel mechanisms of disease, identify new treatment targets, and conduct important epidemiologic studies to improve global public health. C2N assays have been used in over 200 Alzheimer’s disease and other research studies throughout the U.S. and the world.
This includes landmark treatment and prevention trials involving disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that are changing the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease. C2N has ongoing collaborations with multi-national pharmaceutical and biotech companies, leading academic institutions, National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer’s Association, and other non-profits and consortiums in addition to research and distribution partnerships with leading labs around the world including Grupo Fleury, Healius, Mediford, and Mayo Clinic Laboratories. Over 90,000 Precivity®-related biomarker measures have been reported through peer-reviewed publications, with many more manuscripts currently under review.
The company acknowledges generous support from National Institute on Aging, GHR Foundation, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, BrightFocus Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation. For more information, visit www.c2n.com.
About the PrecivityAD2® Test
The PrecivityAD2® test is a clinically and analytically validated blood test used to assist in the evaluation of adult patients, aged 50 years and older, with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment undergoing evaluation for Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of cognitive decline.
The PrecivityAD2® test uses immunoprecipitation followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to quantify β-Amyloid 1-42 (Aβ42) and β-Amyloid 1-40 (Aβ40) peptide concentrations, and phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated tau protein at amino acid threonine, position 217 (p-tau217 and np-tau217) peptide concentrations in human K2-EDTA plasma.
A statistical algorithm combines the Aβ42/40 ratio and the p-tau217/np-tau217 ratio x 100 (%p-tau217) to generate the Amyloid Probability Score 2 (APS2) result, a numeric value ranging from 0-100 to identify the likelihood of brain amyloid presence, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.