(February 27, 2015)—

On February 5, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Medicare) announced the final coverage determination for receiving an annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan for lung cancer screening without cost sharing. The American Lung Association applauds Medicare for finalizing its coverage determination and looks forward to working to educate everyone at high risk for lung cancer. The Lung Association is confident that screening to find the disease in an early and curable stage will significantly improve survivability. Coverage is immediately available to all meeting the criteria shared below.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States. Of all cancers, it has one of the lowest five-year survival rates at only 16.6 percent. Screening for individuals at high risk has the potential to dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates by finding the disease at an earlier, more treatable stage. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) estimates that if everyone who is at high risk were screened, there would be a 14 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths in the United States.

The American Lung Association is pleased that Medicare announced a final determination that:

• Approves coverage for LDCT scans in high-risk Medicare beneficiaries—those 55 to 77 years of age, who have a smoking history of smoking up to 30 pack-years (equivalent of one pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years), currently smoke or who have quit smoking within the last 15 years and have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer.
• Requires smoking cessation counseling or counseling about the importance of quitting and staying quit prior to obtaining approval for a LDCT scan, as quitting smoking remains the best prevention against the development of lung cancer.
• Radiologists conducting LDCTs must be certified by an appropriate professional society and have documented training and experience in interpreting lung cancer LDCT scans.
• A prospective registry to collect standardized data on the entire patient experience
• Requires initial shared decision making consultation but will not require further doctor visits beyond the first screen. Such additional visit requirements would potentially add costs, reduce compliance and unnecessarily burden Medicare, patients, providers and healthcare systems.
• Requires imaging facilities to make smoking cessation available to current smokers.

Learn more about lung cancer screening at Lung.org/lcscreening.