Tri-State Hospitals Researching Expansion Of Age Range For CT Scan Insurance Coverage

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – There's a surprising new way to detect lung cancer. A new study recently prompted insurance companies to offer coverage for the CT scans given to certain smokers.

Now, doctors want to see if the test should be approved for more smokers, even those who quit long ago.

Clinical trials conducted around the world have proven that CT scans are far more effective than chest x-rays at detecting lung cancer early.

"The only way to detect smaller cancers is a cross-sectional view of the chest cavity using a CT scan," Dr. Shahriyour Andaz with South Nassau Communities Hospital told TV 10/55's Richard Rose.

Dr. Andaz has conducted clinical CT scan trials at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside with more than 1,200 volunteers over the last three years.  Now, he's studying whether insurance companies should start covering cat scans for both younger and older smokers.

"They have 55 as a cutoff, so we accept patients between 50 and 55 years. Also they cut off at age 75, we go to beyond even 80 years or more," he said.

Dr. Andaz says longtime smoker Gary Smith is a classic example of someone who would not have been covered.

"I had stopped smoking for 20 years and I read even though you quit, you're not out of the woods yet," Smith said.

To be sure, Smith volunteered for the clinical trials and to his shock, the CT scan uncovered a small cancerous tumor in his lungs.

Dr. Andaz says insurance companies would not have OK'd Smith's scan.

"If you stop smoking for more than 15 years, the guidelines say you should not have a cat scan, but we do enroll patients who have stopped smoking for more than 15 years," he said.

Smith's cancer was surgically removed and he's still cancer-free with advice for other smokers.

"As long as you're on this side of the grass, it's not too late to quit," Smith said.

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