More than 130 lawmakers are urging the Obama administration to expand coverage for a lung cancer test under Medicare that could cost the program billons, calling the screening important for vulnerable seniors.
In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the lawmakers called for a timely decision on coverage for low-dose CT scans for older patients at higher risk of developing lung cancer.
The US Preventive Services Task Force last December recommended the test for people ages 55 through 79 who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years, or the equivalent. That’s about 10 million Americans. The low-dose CT scan will be covered by private insurance as required by the Affordable Care Act with no copays, beginning Jan. 1.
But the new health care law does not require Medicare to cover the screenings, which cost $100 to as much as $400. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is reviewing the proposal, with a preliminary decision expected by November.
‘‘Americans pay into Medicare throughout their working lives and deserve to have access to potentially life-saving evidence-based screenings that can prevent further health costs down the road,’’ according to the letter sent this month. (emphasis mine)Read the rest of the story HERE.
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