Does Medicare Pay For Lung Cancer Screening

Is A Written Order And Shared Decision

For the initial LDCT lung cancer screening service, a written order is required from a qualified health professional following a lung cancer screening counseling and with attestation to shared decision-making having taken place.

For the subsequent screening services, a written order is required which may be furnished during any appropriate visit from a qualified health professional.

How Does Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Work

Medicare prescription drug coverage is an optional benefit. Medicare drug coverage is offered to everyone with Medicare. Even if you dont use prescription drugs now, you should consider joining a Medicare drug plan. If you decide not to join a Medicare drug plan when youre first eligible, and you dont have other creditable prescription drug coverage or get Extra Help, youll likely pay a late enrollment penalty if you join a plan later. Generally, youll pay this penalty for as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. To get Medicare prescription drug coverage, you must join a plan approved by Medicare that offers Medicare drug coverage. Each plan can vary in cost and specific drugs covered.

There are two ways to get Medicare prescription drug coverage:

• Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. These plans add drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account plans. You must have Part A and/or Part B to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Medicare Advantage Plans or other Medicare health plans that offer Medicare prescription drug coverage. You get all of your Part A, Part B, and prescription drug coverage , through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called MA-PDs. Remember, you must have Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage Plan, and not all of these plans offer drug coverage.

New And Improved Proposed National Coverage Determination On Screening For Lung Cancer With Low Dose Ct

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing significant and important modifications to its National Coverage Determination : Screening for Lung Cancer with Low Dose Computed Tomography . Medicare pays for lung cancer screening, counseling, and shared decision-making visits, and for an annual screening for lung cancer with low dose computed tomography as a preventive service benefit under the Medicare program. CMS issued its NCD in 2015 initiating this screening benefit, but stakeholders have observed that many of the features of the initial NCD served as a barrier to the effectiveness of this screening program. The proposed NCD makes numerous improvements to this program and eliminates many of the barriers to qualified patients ability to gain access to important LDCT lung cancer screenings.

Last year, a formal joint request to reconsider the NCD was submitted to CMS by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and American College of Radiology , and CMS received numerous comments from various stakeholders, including from the Association for Quality Imaging. This new proposed NCD is in response to that request and the comments from stakeholders.

The CMS proposed determination modifies the existing NCD by:

• lowering starting age of eligibility from 55 years to 50 years
• changing the stopping age of eligibility from 77 years to 80 years
• lowering pack-year smoking history from 30 pack-years to 20 pack-years

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Questions To Ask Your Insurance Company About Coverage For Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer screening means testing for lung cancer before a person has any symptoms.For those who meet the high risk-criteria, screening is covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans with no cost sharing. However, before you decide to get a lung cancer screening, it is important to know exactly what your insurance will cover. Use the questions below as a guide for your conversations with your insurance company.

On the back of your insurance card, there will be a phone number for you to call. You will likely be asked for your plan information and group ID.

• Has my insurance company put together a website or a flyer on lung cancer screening coverage issues?
• Do I need to go to my primary care provider/my doctor before I get screened to get a referral or determine if screening is appropriate for me?
• What paperwork do I need to complete before, during or after that visit to ensure my screening is covered by insurance?

• Do I need a referral or preauthorization?
• If so, from whom?
• Who must this referral or preauthorization be sent to?
• Will my physician submit it or must I?

• Are all the costs of the screening completely covered or will I be charged any out of pocket expenses?
• Will I need to pay a facility fee?
• Are there other out of pocket costs I will need to pay?

Lung And Other Cancer Screenings

The published estimates for the cost per life-year saved for the screening of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, trended to 2012 dollars, are reported elsewhere.24 The cost per life-year saved figures reported here for LDCT lung cancer screening in the Medicare population are comparable with or lower than the estimates for the other cancer screenings.37 From the standpoint of cost per life-year saved, lung cancer with LDCT meets or exceeds the value of these other screenings. It is worth noting that the cost per life-year saved figures for other cancers cited above were performed when screening and treatment costs were much lower than today’s costs, and when practices and therapies might have been different.

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Medicare Will Pay For Lung Ct Scans For Cancer Screening

Pack-a-day smokers in Medicare now have access to low-dose CT scans for the early detection of lung cancer even as experts continue to debate whether the benefits are worth the cost and risk of false positives.

On Thursday the CMS issued a national coverage determination giving certain Medicare beneficiaries immediate coverage for the screening test.

Some critics say the benefits of aggressive screening have been exaggerated while others point to complexities in setting up an appropriate screening program. Advocates of its use, however, say the technology can help save thousands of lives and lead to better understanding of the disease.

The CMS concluded that the body of evidence is sufficient to support covering scans for certain beneficiaries. We believe this final decision strikes an appropriate balance between providing access to this important preventive service and ensuring, to the best extent possible, that Medicare beneficiaries receive maximum benefit from a lung cancer screening program, Dr. Patrick Conway, the agency’s chief medical officer and deputy administrator, said in a news release.

Medicare will cover lung CT scans once a year for beneficiaries who meet three key criteria. They must be 55-77 years old. They must be current smokers or have quit within the last 15 years, with a smoking history of at least 30 pack years . And they must receive a written order from a physician or qualified practitioner.

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Tips To Ask About Lung Cancer Costs

It may help to ask your health care team about treatment costs — and any less-expensive alternatives. They may be able to suggest assistance programs that may help you manage or reduce your costs.

Ask:

• How much will the treatment cost?
• Are there cost-effective treatment options?
• What are the key terms of your insurance policy?
• How much of the costs will insurance cover?
• How much does a hospital stay cost?
• What does rehabilitation after treatment look like? How much will it cost?

Show Sources

JAMA Oncology: “National and State Estimates of Lost Earnings From Cancer Deaths in the United States.”

American Cancer Society: “Things to Know About the Cost of Your Cancer Treatment,” “Key Statistics for Lung Cancer,” “The Costs of Cancer in 2015: 8.7 Million Years of Life and $94 Billion in Lost Earnings.”

Medicareinteractiv.org: “Lung cancer screenings.”

Cancer Medicine: “Lung cancer costs by treatment strategy and phase of care among patients enrolled in Medicare.”

Fightcancer.org: “The Costs of Cancer — 2020 Edition.”

Healthcare.gov: “Glossary.”

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How Do I Get Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

There are two ways to get prescription drug coverage.

• You can enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan. This coverage will be in addition to Original Medicare and/or a Medicare Supplement plan.
• You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. This coverage will combine your medical and prescription drug coverage.

Tip: If you dont enroll in prescription drug coverage when youre first eligible to enroll in Medicare, you may face penalties. Find out how to avoid penalties.

Is There A Requirement To Notify The Ordering Provider And/or Patient That They Are Due For Their Follow Up Scan

No. However, a best practice for screening programs is to track patients with Lung-RADs 3 and 4, and if they have not come back to their practice, to remind the referring physician and/or patient.

For example, a monthly data pull of all patients with Lung-RADs 3 and 4, and verification of schedule for a follow-up test or appointment, and tracking the patients to ensure and encourage adherence if they are not scheduled by the time window recommended in Lung-RADs, inform and alert the referring provider.

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How To Get On The Lung Transplant List

The first step to get on the lung transplant list is to contact your doctor for a referral. Then, you must contact a transplant facility, of which there are more than 200. Be sure to do research, so you find the transplant facility thats right for you. After finding the facility of your choice, schedule an appointment for an evaluation. Once the hospitals transplant team deems you a suitable candidate, theyll add you to the national waiting list.

What Vaccines Are Covered By Medicare

The following chart shows how some common vaccines are covered by Medicare.

These are only a few of the most commonly recommended vaccines. Check with your doctor or health care provider if you have questions about a specific immunization or vaccine that is not listed here.

Medicare Part B also typically covers vaccines after youve potentially been exposed to a dangerous disease or virus. For example, your rabies shot may be covered by Medicare Part B if you are bitten by a dog.

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Drugs That Are Not Covered By Medicare

While Part D covers prescriptions for a wide variety of medical conditions, not all drugs are covered. Some examples of prescription drugs that are not covered by Medicare Part D include:

• Brand-name drugs when a generic version is available
• Drugs used to treat anorexia, weight loss, or gain
• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription vitamins and mineral products, except prenatal vitamins
• Drugs used for the treatment of sexual or erectile dysfunction

Its also important to know that the plans formulary might not include the specific drug prescribed to you. In this case, a similar drug should be available however, when this is not the case, you or your prescriber can request a formulary exception. If one or more of your prescriptions are not included in your plans formulary, you can change your plan during the open enrollment period, which is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Note: Medicare supplement plans, like Medigaps, will not provide you with additional drug coverage. Medigaps only helps subsidize the cost-sharing associated with Original Medicare. These policies do not include any drug coverage at all.

Panel Urges Lung Cancer Screening For Millions Of Americans

The Medicare proposal “likely means that thousands of Medicare beneficiaries will have access to this important and potentially life saving service,” said Dr. Richard Wender in a statement on the American Cancer Society’s news blog. “This would place Medicare policy in line with current guidelines and the recommendations of many interested advocacy and professional organizations, including the Society.”

The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a frequent critic of health screening, said in December 2013 that its review of the evidence supported a recommendation for annual CT screening for people 55 to 80 years old who have a significant history of smoking. The USPSTF estimated that adoption of appropriate lung cancer screening could reduce lung cancer deaths by about 20,000 a year.

But even advocates acknowledge that screening is imperfect. Dr. Peter Bach, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, was one of the people who formally asked Medicare to cover CT screening for lung cancer. In his request, he wrote about the balance of benefit and harm at stake:

A cautionary note came from an analysis of a national study of CT screening for lung cancer that suggested 18 percent of the cancers detected might be indolent, or slow-growing and not immediately risky. “Overdiagnosis should be considered when describing the risks of screening for lung cancer,” the authors wrote in JAMA Internal Medicine in February.

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Do Medicare Advantage Plans Allow Ldct Lung Cancer Screening Coverage And Payment If So How Should This Service Be Billed

The ACR recommends that radiology groups and practices verify billing instructions for LDCT lung cancer screening with their individual Medicare Advantage plans to address the flexibility afforded to these plans by CMS.

Medicare Advantage plans generally must provide coverage of all Medicare-covered services, but they are afforded flexibility in how and what they pay for those services. Based on past precedent, CMS is giving Medicare Advantage plans latitude with respect to coding and billing instructions for lung cancer screening. As such, the ACR is encouraging imaging practices to check with each of their Medicare Advantage plans to determine if the S-code is accepted or if they are awaiting instructions from CMS.

Does Medicaid Cover Lung Cancer

Medicaid covers your healthcare needs much like a private health plan. You will pay a copay or coinsurance for certain medications and services. Depending on the state you live in, you may be offered more or fewer benefits.

There may be differences in cost between Medicaid plans that are fee-for-service, i.e., run by the state, vs. those that are run by private insurance companies. The latter are referred to as managed Medicaid plans.

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How Much Will Medicare Pay For Ldct Lung Cancer Screening

The ACR recommends that the payment rate of CPT® code 71250 should serve as the reimbursement floor for LDCT lung cancer screening with additional RVUs assigned for the numerous quality criteria required of an effective lung cancer screening program and mandated in CMSs final coverage decision.

CY 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Codes and Payment Levels for LDCT Screening*

**These rates are calculated by multiplying the relative weight of the Ambulatory Payment Classification groupings of the two codes by the CY 2022 HOPPS conversion factor .

Cms Expands Medicare Coverage For Lung Cancer Screening

Medicare yesterday expanded eligibility for lung cancer screening with low dose computed tomography by lowering the starting age for screening from 55 to 50 and reducing the tobacco smoking history from at least 30 packs per year to at least 20 packs per year. The final national coverage also simplifies requirements for the counseling and shared decision-making visit removes the requirement for the reading radiologist to document participation in continuing medical education and adds back a requirement for radiology imaging facilities to use a standardized lung nodule identification, classification and reporting system, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said. Low dose computed tomography is the only recommended screening test for lung cancer.

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The Agency Has Expanded The Population Of Beneficiaries That Qualify For Low Dose Ct Scan Lung Cancer Screenings Following The Uspstfs B Recommendation In 2021

February 11, 2022 – CMS has announced that it will expand the eligibility criteria for a national coverage determination for lung cancer screenings.

Expanding coverage broadens access for lung cancer screening to at-risk populations, Lee Fleisher, MD, chief medical officer and director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality at CMS, said in a press release emailed to HealthPayerIntelligence. Todays decision not only expands access to quality care but is also critical to improving health outcomes for people by helping to detect lung cancer earlier.

The national coverage determination expands coverage for lung cancer screenings conducted with low dose computed tomography or a CT scan.

Dig Deeper

• CMS Seeks Input on Medicare Advantage, Part D Health Equity Index

Medicare will cover low dose CT scan lung cancer screenings for Medicare beneficiaries who are between 50 and 77 years of age, show no signs of lung cancer, have an extensive tobacco smoking history , are current smokers or smokers who quit within the past 15 years, and receive a providers order to undergo this type of screening.

In line with the final eligibility factor, beneficiaries must have provider input to leverage the low dose CT scan screening option.

Before CMS released this coverage announcement, the United States Preventive Services Task Force updated its 2013 recommendation regarding lung cancer screenings.

• Tagged

Lung Cancer Screening Coverage Expanded Through Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced a national coverage determination that expands coverage for lung cancer screening. Lung cancer is among the common cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the U.S. The screening increases the chance of early detection of non-small cell lung cancer and can improve health outcomes.

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