Berkeley Heartlab

Anyone know what is going on with them? I used to work with their reps and had good success, but now I never hear from or see their reps. I had heard rumors that the company wasn't doing well because of the economy and the high cost of the test and that not all Medicare plans were covering it. Anyone hear anything new? They had a good thing going. I was just wondering if it was still going.

 

who fucking cares except you and Berkley.....A VAP is cheaper, just as good, and even reimbursed on our crappy healthplan.....

 

I agree. I don't understand how they stay in business. They charge so much for a test that the patient and the docs don't understand. I have had some offices use it and then complain for months about billing screw ups. VAP is cheaper and easier to discuss.

 

News flash. VAP is changing their panel, and it's starting to look an awful lot like the Berkelely test. Wonder what will happen to their price now?


Atherotech Unveils New Cardiometabolic Test Panels

Heart disease and diabetes markers to complement VAP advanced cholesterol profile

ORLANDO, Fla. and BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Atherotech, Inc., developer of the VAP Cholesterol Test, has announced the addition of new cardiovascular and metabolic testing panels at ACC.09, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 58th Annual Scientific Session Exposition. Atherotech is adding more than a dozen new tests, including C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP), ApoE genotype, and NT-proBNP, for assessment of patients at intermediate to high risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The company is also adding advanced and follow-up cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profiles.

"We're maximizing the value of our core VAP technology with additional cardiometabolic tests," said Atherotech President Michael Mullen. "This provides physicians and cardiology practices with a single source for the VAP Cholesterol Test plus the new test panels. You get the complete cardiovascular and metabolic view."

Atherotech representatives will be available to discuss the VAP Cholesterol Test and new test panels in booth #1263, and blood draws will be provided to qualified attendees during exhibit hours March 29-31. Because LDL is directly measured, fasting is not required. Test results will be returned via mail after the conference.

The VAP Test, which recently added apoAI (and the apoB/apoAI ratio) to its panel, uses advanced lipid profile testing in the identification of individuals at increased risk of heart disease. The new test panels enable Atherotech to increase its scientific and diagnostic capabilities by offering much more complete cardiometabolic testing.

Steven Margolis, M.D., FAAFP, DABCL, a board-certified lipidologist who currently uses the VAP Test for advanced lipid testing of patients in his Sterling Heights, Mich., practice, says the new testing panels add significant benefits for practices such as his.

"It's very convenient for physicians to be able to get these heart disease risk factor tests grouped together and not have to deal with multiple reference labs," said Margolis. "They're also now offering specialized tests such as apoE genetic testing and NT-proBNP that aren't offered by most other reference laboratories."

The new test panels are available immediately and also include homocysteine, creatinine, creatine kinase (CK), HbA1c, TSH, ALT, AST, urea nitrogen (BUN), glucose, vitamin D, fibrinogen and insulin. The tests can be ordered individually, or bundled as part of a custom risk profile that may also include the VAP Test.

The VAP Test provides researchers and medical professionals with direct measurement of LDL, HDL and all relevant subclasses, and includes non-HDL, a highly accurate determination of apoB, and emerging risk factors such as Lp(a), remnants and small dense LDL. The VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) Test is now the only single cholesterol test that routinely reports apoAI, apoB, and the apoB/apoAI ratio.

 

VAP panel is cheaper and has better coverage. Just fyi!

 

So is the Lipo protein NMR testing and has a better reputation! VAP just has more voices that's the truth in my territory, otherwise they would never compare to us.

 

Nobody gives a shit!!!!!!!!!

 

Berkeley is indeed in trouble. They were sitting on $10M in bad debt that was not disclosed until AFTER they were bought by Celera. Since Celera is a publicly-traded company (and subject to greater reporting requirements), this bad debt was revealed, which adversely affected the stock price (iirc).

Whatever the exact details, Berkeley is now being forced to offer tests on a more stand-alone basis (as opposed to bundling them into expensive panels). Some of the managed care payors that were previously paying a good portion of the Berkeley charges have wised up and cut them off as well, and Berkeley's projected revenues have taken a big hit.

VAP is indeed cheaper, but there is zero outcomes data to supporting VAP, and their "calculated" apoB is not scientifically valid. NMR is generally priced similar to VAP, is supported by many outcomes studies (with more coming soon), and has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association, American College of Cardiology, and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (lab experts), but it is not available through Quest.

 

VAP and Berkeley are more extensive tests and provide more for the patient and provider than NMR, but the NMR is much easier to get reimbursed. Berkeley has sunk in my area because most plans aren't paying for it and even some Medicare plans have shut it down. I have a lot of irate offices!

 

at this juncture who gives a rats ass about friggin Berkley? We are toast and you care about those panty liners?

 

again, no one gives a flyin Phillie fuck! What the fuck, is this Sales Force Infective-ness?

 

yawn...what a pedantic pinhead

 

Berkeley, VAP & NMR all cost about the same!! Berkeley gets paid more because of more tests it offers. (((This is why VAP added so many new tests to their profiles!!!)) Problem with BHL is that since they were acquired by Celera, they have brought in Celera to do billing and let go of BHL employees, which has caused massive problems!

For everyone's info their is about 6 more advanced lab testing companies that are coming out between 2009 and 2010. Now is a good time to get in this business and out of the pharmaceutical industry. Good luck!!

 

who cares................ Yawn.

 

do you think Celera is a good company?

 

Do you know the compensation package for Celera employees? Salary, commission, is there a car allowance?

 

VAP and Berkeley report more laboratory values, but neither VAP nor Berkeley have any outcomes studies, whereas NMR has quite a few. Neither VAP nor Berkeley are recognized by expert panels, wheras NMR has been recognized by experts from the American Diabetes Association, American College of Cardiology, and American Association for Clinical Chemistry. As such, NMR offers "more for the patient and the provider." And reimbursement is becoming quite good in most areas (as you mention).

 

You're a bit off base:

1. VAP and NMR usually cost around $100-$200 (depending on who does the billing). Berkeley panels often cost over $1000 (depending on which panel is ordered).

2. Atherotech is now offering more tests because their VAP test is supported by zero outcomes data, has been recognized by zero expert panels, and sales were dropping like a rock. Expansion into other tests is merely an attempt to keep the lights on. Barring any significant changes in their current direction, their future is not bright.

3. Berkeley has indeed gotten "paid more" in the past because of all of the tests they offer (they charge hundreds of dollars for their LDL and HDL size tests alone), but they were burying their bad debt instead of billing patients for it because they didn't want their ordering physicians to get upset about patient complaints. When Celera bought Berkeley, the gig was up, and some people got fired. Around the same time, some of the managed care payors wised up and quit paying for Berkeley's expensive panels of bundled tests. Berkeley is now having to offer tests on a more individual basis, and move away from the $1000+ panels (at the same time as Atherotech is trying to move toward more expensive panels to save themselves from the sorry failure of a test called VAP).

4. The flagship proprietary technologies employed by Atherotech and Berkeley are supported by no outcomes data, and are relatively expensive, laborious, and time-consuming. They are not well-suited to widespread utilization in the clinical laboratory environment, and therefore will remain relegated to the world of "advanced" and "esoteric" testing. The technology behind LipoScience's NMR LipoProfile test, on the other hand, is supported by outcomes data, and is fast and efficient. It is going to be decentralized into clinical laboratories around the country and around the world (although this process will take many years).

VAP and Berkeley are going to remain esoteric and fringe - NMR is going to replace the lipid panel (150+ million lipid panels ordered in the US each year). What horse do you wanna put your money on?

 

get a grip MORON! This site is about Solvay, actually the former, soon to be dead, deceased company. Who gives a flying fahrfucknugen about Berkeley/VAP?

 

what the heck, do you work for them, if so get outta here!