CMS approves CT Lung Cancer Screening

The Centers for Medicare and MedicaidServices on February 6, 2015 issued its final decision approving Medicare coverage for lung cancer screening by low-dose CT.  Medicare will cover annual screenings for beneficiaries aged 55-77 who are current smokers or who quit in the last 15 years, and who have a history of at least 30 “pack years.”   According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer kills nearly 158,000 patients a year.