IASLC hits Medicare panel on CT lung screening

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) said it's disappointed by the recent recommendation of the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) not to support low-dose CT lung cancer screening.

If the April 30 recommendation is adopted by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), people who can afford private insurance will have the full cost of lung cancer screening covered through provisions of the Affordable Care Act, but Medicaid/Medicare beneficiaries, including many at high risk for lung cancer, will not, IASLC CEO Dr. Fred Hirsch, PhD, said in a statement.

Low-dose CT lung cancer screening has been the subject of many research studies since the 1990s, including the National Lung Screening Trial, IASLC noted. Based on a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of lung cancer screening, IASLC said it is committed to working toward a safe, economical, and effective dissemination of the technology into the U.S. healthcare system.