publication date: Mar. 21, 2014

Does a B from USPSTF Guarantee Coverage? Lung Screening will Define Medicare Stance
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is facing the formidable challenge of deciding what kinds of patients should be screened for lung cancer.
The agency’s Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee will meet April 30 to decide how the positive findings of a large randomized trial and the recommendation the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force should be translated into policy.
The controversy over screening for lung cancer will demonstrate how scientific findings influence the standard of care in the new healthcare system. Under the Affordable Care Act, USPSTF grades translate into coverage mandates for private insurers.
 | Conversation with The Cancer Letter Kazerooni: The Case for Broad Coverage
The Cancer Letter asked Ella Kazerooni, a professor of radiology at the University of Michigan, chair of the American College of Radiology Committee on Lung Screening, and vice chair of the lung screening panel of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, to lay out the rationale for a proposal for broad coverage for lung screening. |
 | In Brief
Alan Ashford named center director at UCSF Edith Perez receives Claude Jacquillat Award NCI announces 2013 Cancer Center Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Awards Chad Ellis named associate director at UNC Lineberger Tripathy joins MD Anderson as breast medical oncology chair Thayer named chief of surgical oncology at University of Nebraska Bayer Pharma and Ventana enter agreement MD Anderson signs three-year agreement with MedImmune
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