Lung Cancer Screening Counseling and Shared Decision Making Visit, and Annual Screening for Lung Cancer with LDCT

According to CMS, effective February 5, 2015, a CMS National Coverage Determination (NCD) added lung cancer screening counseling and shared decision making visit, and for certain beneficiaries, annual screening for lung cancer with Low Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT), as an additional screening service benefit under the Medicare program if all eligibility criteria described in the NCD are met.
For purposes of Medicare coverage of lung cancer screening with LDCT, beneficiaries must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

• Age 55 – 77 years;
• Asymptomatic (no signs or symptoms of lung cancer);
• Tobacco smoking history of at least 30 pack-years (one pack-year = smoking one pack per day for one year; 1 pack = 20 cigarettes);
• Current smoker or one who has quit smoking within the last 15 years; and
• Receives a written order for lung cancer screening with LDCT that meets the requirements described in the NCD. Written orders for lung cancer LDCT screenings must be appropriately documented in the beneficiary’s medical records.

To implement this recent coverage determination, CMS created two new G-codes to report lung cancer screening counseling and shared decision making visit, and annual screening for lung cancer with LDCT.

G0296 Counseling visit to discuss need for lung cancer screening (LDCT) using low dose CT scan (service is for eligibility determination and shared decision making)

G0297 Low dose CT scan (LDCT) for lung cancer screening 

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