McConnell seeks ‘timely and fair review’ of plan for Medicare coverage of CT scans for those at high risk for lung cancer

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell asked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner to “give a timely and fair review to determine whether low-dose computerized tomography (CT) scans should be covered by Medicare for patients at high-risk for developing lung cancer,” a press release form his office said.

“Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers in the United States,” Mconnell said. “Additionally, my home state of Kentucky has the highest state mortality rate of lung cancer in the country, and the disease claims the lives of approximately 3,000 Kentuckians every year.”

CT scans should be used to detect lung cancer early in individuals who who have a high risk for the disease, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends. High-risk individuals are those between 55 and 80 who have smoked a pack of cigarettes each day for 30 or more days. The task force noted a significant reduction in deaths from the disease as a result of early detection through CT scans. (Read more)