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Lauren Dubinsky, Senior Reporter | February 06, 2015
CMS released its final decision regarding low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening Thursday.
Among the revisions to the draft memo released in November, is that individuals at high-risk can now be screened up to age 77 instead of 74.
CMS will now reimburse annual LDCT lung cancer screening for individuals between 55 and 77 who are current smokers or who have quit smoking within the past 15 years and have a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years. They are required to get a written order for screening during a visit with a physician or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist.
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CMS also requires providers to submit clinical and follow-up data to an approved registry. The American College of Radiology Lung Cancer Screening Registry has applied for approval from CMS to help providers meet the registry reporting requirements.
Over 220,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year and there will be an estimated 158,040 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.
Many organizations and alliances believe this new screening protocol will be a major game-changer for the health care industry.
"Today is a transformative moment. Lung cancer screening can now stand shoulder to shoulder with mammography, colonoscopy, pap smears and other proven cancer screenings that have saved countless lives," Laurie Fenton Ambrose, president and CEO of Lung Cancer Alliance, said in a statement. "This signals a new day, where lung cancer transitions from the number one cancer killer to a treatable, even curable disease."
