Pacific Edge (ASX:PEB, NZE:PEB) has reported a 9% drop in Cxbladder test volumes for the fiscal second quarter ended September, as the loss of Medicare coverage in April and the transition from Detect to Triage disrupted US operations and clinician engagement, according to a Tuesday filing with the New Zealand and Australian bourses.

Total laboratory throughput fell 9% in fiscal Q2 to 6,286 tests from the 6,905 tests in the previous quarter, with US volumes down 13.1% to 4,971 tests, while Asia-Pacific volumes rose 11.2% to 1,315 tests, driven largely by increased clinical study activity, per the filing.

The company accelerated the phase-out of Detect following Triage's inclusion in the American Urological Association Microhematuria guideline and Medicare's non-coverage ruling, with Triage now accounting for 82% of US test volumes, the filing said.

The company lifted sales force efficiency to 403 tests per full-time equivalent in fiscal Q2, up from 381, amid headcount reductions, though the Medicare loss saw ordering clinicians fall to 803 from 907, with tests per clinician steady at 6.2, the filing added.

The decline in ordering clinicians reflects administrative hurdles, test transition confusion, and advanced beneficiary notice requirements, which protect the company from non-payment.