Health insurers now pay for lung cancer screening for smokers, former smokers
Low-dose computerized tomography scans can help locate lung cancers at the earliest, most treatable stages, says Upstate radiologist Santiago Miro, MD. He tells about the lung cancer screening program at Upstate (call 1-315-464-7064 or 1-800-464-8668 for an appointment) which is now covered by most health insurance plans. It's designed for people between the ages of 55 and 77 who have smoked what is known as "30 pack years." That's a pack a day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years, or other variations. The testing is also for people who quit smoking within the last 15 years. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States.