The American College of Radiology (ACR) is calling on radiologists to respond to a solicitation for public comment from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about changing its reimbursement policies for CT lung cancer screening.
The ACR and others urged the CMS to open a national coverage analysis of its reimbursement policies shortly after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in March lowered the initial age and smoking history requirements for screening.
In a May 18 announcement, the CMS said it was reopening its coverage policy for CT lung screening in response to the USPSTF change, as well as in response to a request from the ACR and other groups.
The CMS is accepting comments through June 17, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on its website. The ACR will provide comments to CMS during the 30-day comment period. The ACR anticipates CMS will issue a proposed decision memo by November 18. A final coverage analysis will be completed by February 16, 2022.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
