Guardant Health’s Shield Blood Test Covered by Carelon Health Services for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Largest national medical benefit manager in the U.S. expands coverage for FDA-approved Shield blood test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening to eligible policyholders
Increasing total covered Shield lives ages 45 and older to approximately 90 million, representing the vast majority of eligible patients in the U.S.
PALO ALTO, Calif., September 01, 2026--Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced its Shield™ blood test for colorectal cancer screening (CRC) will be covered in Carelon Healthcare Services clinical guidelines effective November 15. Carelon Healthcare Services is one of the largest specialty benefits managers in the country and subsidiary of one of the largest health insurance companies in the U.S spanning more than 14 states.
The new policy update from Carelon represents another meaningful expansion of commercial coverage in the U.S., driving total covered lives for Shield to approximately 90 million or 75% of all eligible patients for CRC screening.
Shield is the leading blood test for CRC screening detection as the first FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening in average-risk adults age 45 and older. Providing a more accessible screening option that overcomes the barriers associated with traditional methods, the Shield blood test provides Americans with the ability to screen for CRC with just a blood draw during a routine doctor's visit.
The updated policy coverage from Carelon offers those above the age of 45 and at average risk of colorectal cancer access to the latest innovation in colorectal cancer screening, amid rising CRC rates for adults under 651 and mortality for younger adults as the leading cause of cancer death for those under 50.2
"With the largest major medical benefit manager in the U.S. to cover the Shield blood test for their members, approximately 90 million people nationwide now have access to Shield, bringing the most clinically-validated blood-based colorectal cancer screening option within reach for the vast majority of the eligible U.S. population," said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. "As we see colorectal cancer rates continue to rise for those under 65, including younger adults, access to Shield through Carelon marks another critical milestone in our commercial expansion and broader mission to make screening more accessible."
Demonstrating the highest performance in CRC detection across all stages than published FIT performance, Shield is recommended in both American Cancer Society (ACS) 3 and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.4 With more than 200,000 tests performed in real-world settings, Shield is proven to significantly increase overall CRC screening completion for patients due for CRC screening across practice and health system settings, demonstrating over 90% screening adherence.5,6