Lucid Diagnostics (LUCD) Secures VA Contract for EsoGuard Esophageal DNA Test at Medicare Pricing
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 21 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Contract Award: Lucid Diagnostics (LUCD) has secured a contract from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, allowing it to offer the EsoGuard Esophageal DNA Test at Medicare pricing, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's competitiveness in the healthcare market.
- Market Expansion: This contract enables Lucid to supply EsoGuard through a single, national VA procurement framework, further solidifying its market position within the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S., likely leading to increased sales and market share.
- Strategic Partnership: Lucid's COO Shaun O'Neil remarked that the partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will expand veterans' access to EsoGuard, demonstrating the company's commitment to improving veterans' health and enhancing its brand image.
- Stock Price Reaction: Following the contract announcement, Lucid's stock rose approximately 10% in premarket trading, reflecting the market's positive response to this significant contract, which may drive future investments and growth for the company.
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Analyst Views on LUCD
Wall Street analysts forecast LUCD stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for LUCD is 4.05 USD with a low forecast of 3.00 USD and a high forecast of 8.25 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1.160
Low
3.00
Averages
4.05
High
8.25
Current: 1.160
Low
3.00
Averages
4.05
High
8.25
About LUCD
Lucid Diagnostics Inc. is a commercial-stage medical diagnostics technology company. The Company is focused on patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as chronic heartburn, acid reflux or simply reflux, that leads to esophageal precancer and cancer, specifically highly lethal esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The Company’s products include EsoGuard and EsoCheck. EsoGuard is a bisulfite-converted next generation sequencing (NGS) DNA assay performed on surface esophageal cells collected with EsoCheck. EsoCheck is a noninvasive swallowable balloon capsule catheter device capable of sampling surface esophageal cells in office procedures. It consists of a vitamin pill-sized rigid plastic capsule tethered to a thin silicone catheter from which a soft silicone balloon with textured ridges emerges to swab surface esophageal cells. It is also developing EsoCure, is an Esophageal Ablation Device, which is a technology that allows a clinician to treat dysplastic BE.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
PAVmed Subsidiary Secures VA Contract for EsoGuard Test, Expanding Access to Over 9 Million Veterans
- Contract Approval: Lucid Diagnostics has secured a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs for its EsoGuard test, significantly enhancing access across the nationwide healthcare system serving over 9 million veterans, thereby strengthening the company's competitive position in the healthcare market.
- Standardized Procurement: The contract allows VA hospitals to procure EsoGuard through a unified framework, ensuring pre-negotiated pricing aligned with Medicare payment standards, which simplifies the procurement process and reduces operational costs.
- Clinical Evidence Support: Lucid stated that the award reflects the clinical evidence supporting the EsoGuard test, further solidifying its potential for integration into standard clinical practice and possibly facilitating collaborations with other integrated health systems.
- Market Performance Analysis: PAVmed shares are currently trading at $11.46, 40.4% above the 20-day simple moving average but 0.8% below the 100-day average, indicating strong short-term performance but potential long-term weakness in market signals.
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Lucid Diagnostics Secures VA Contract for EsoGuard, Boosting PAVmed Stock by 291%
- Contract Approval: Lucid Diagnostics has secured a contract from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for its EsoGuard Esophageal DNA Test, expanding access to esophageal precancer testing for over nine million veterans, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's influence in the healthcare market.
- Pricing Advantage: The contract includes pre-negotiated pricing aligned with Medicare payment rates, allowing VA facilities to procure EsoGuard through a streamlined process, further strengthening the product's market competitiveness.
- Stock Performance: PAVmed's stock surged by 291.11% to $17.80 on Wednesday, reflecting strong short-term market performance and aligning with the positive trends in the Nasdaq and S&P 500 indices.
- Technical Indicators: PAVmed is currently trading 167.1% above its 20-day simple moving average, indicating strong short-term technical indicators; although the relative strength index (RSI) is in neutral territory, the MACD shows bullish momentum, suggesting optimistic market sentiment.
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