by
Loren Bonner, DOTmed News Online Editor | May 01, 2014
She added that there wasn't enough data on the total Medicare population, including those ages 75-80. NLST only analyzed data from smokers aged 55-74.
"A chest tube in an 80-year-old is a different story," said Dr. Mark Grant from the Center for Clinical Effectiveness at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. "The one harm that troubles me is that the use will extend to older, frail individuals and the harms will outweigh any potential benefit."
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All private insurance payors will be required to cover LDCT by January 2015 because of the grade B recommendation.
CMS will consider the topic this fall.
Regardless of what CMS decides, LDCT screening programs are moving forward.
Speaking to the panelists during the meeting, Dr. Ella Kazerooni, chair of the American College of Radiology Thoracic Imaging Panel, said the ACR approved guidelines this week for lung cancer screening activities, and also released the first edition of a lung image database and practice auditing system similar to the well-established BIRADS system used in mammography.
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