The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has expanded coverage for Medicare recipients who qualify for low-dose CT scan lung cancer screenings.
The change lowers the starting age for screening with a low-dose CT scan from 55 to 50, and reduces the tobacco smoking history from at least 30 packs per year to at least 20 packs.
The move to expand coverage came on the heels of new recommendations by the United States Preventive Services Task Force that heavy smokers should receive preventative screenings for lung cancer. It recommended the new regimen as an important step saving lives through early detection.
Under the new rules, Medicare will cover low-dose CT scan lung cancer screenings for Medicare beneficiaries who: Medicare Expands Eligibility for Lung Cancer Screenings