EARLY DIAGNOSIS SAVES LIVES
Know your risk. Prevent late-stage Lung Cancer
84%
of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at late stages
Source: American Lung Cancer Society
When diagnosed early, the survival rate is high.
90%
When diagnosed late, the survival rate is low.
10%
HOW IT WORKS
Take control of your lung health with a 1 minute scan
01
You may be familiar with mammograms for breast cancer screening or colonoscopies for colorectal cancer screening however you might not know about lung cancer screening and CT scans.
Lung cancer screening is a relatively new screening option for patients with a history of smoking to detect lung cancer in its early stages. It involves the use of CT scans and has been available since 2013. However, the guidelines for who is eligible for lung cancer screening were recently revised in 2021 to allow more Americans to be screened. Early detection of lung cancer through screening can improve treatment outcomes and increase the chances of successful recovery.
02
Patients are eligible for this scan if they meet these 3 criteria:
1. Age 50-77
2. Smoked 1 pack per day for 20 years or 2 packs per day for 10 years
3. Smoked in the past 15 years
03
A CT scan (or CAT scan), is a quick and easy procedure. There is no need for an IV, and unlike MRIs, a CT scan only takes a few minutes. A patient lies down on the table of a CT scanner and the table slides in and out of the scanner smoothly. The technologist will be in a separate room but can see you clearly through the window.
During the CT scan, hundreds of images are created of the lungs from top to bottom, side to side and front to back. Looking at these images, radiologists can look for small nodules about the size of a pea or a marble. The majority of these will not be cancer and will be tracked with CT scans every year.
A small number of patients with nodules will be worrisome for cancer in which an additional scan or a referral to a pulmonologist will be needed.
04
It may seem obvious, but finding lung cancer earlier is better for many reasons. When lung cancer is smaller, it can be much more easily treated with a surgical procedure to cut out the small nodule. People can live longer when a small cancerous nodule is removed. When lung cancer is larger and spreads to other body parts treatment can be much more complicated to treat.
05
There are pros and cons to doing a CT scan to screen for lung cancer. It’s important to know that there is a small amount of radiation associated with each of these CT scans, however, the risk of the radiation is low compared to the benefit of finding lung cancer in someone who has smoked for many years.
In order to get the most benefit from lung cancer screening it is recommended that screening occurs every year until the patient is 77 years old or has been 15 years since their last cigarette.
06
Be sure to ask your doctor any questions you may have to be sure lung cancer screening is right for you.
We help you get a life-saving lung cancer screening at no-cost to you
And best of all, it is super simple, we help you every step of the way
Talk to our doctor
Simply add your information, we will contact you via a telemedicine video chat to an Oatmeal Health provider to discuss your eligibity.
Visit a local imaging center
We will help you coordinate an appointment with a imaging center near your house. The low-dose CT scan only takes a minute to perform and Medicare / Medicaid covers the cost for eligible patients.
Clear results
Receive clear results on what to do next and gentle reminders from our caring patient team backed by our AI-assisted radiologists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Medicare and many private health insurance plans cover lung cancer screening without cost-sharing, but eligibility criteria vary based on the type of plan you have and many plans are currently updating their criteria to match new guidelines. Check out our coverage chart to learn more. Health plans, including Medicare and private insurance, may charge co-pays if the facility or provider is “out of network.” When booking your appointment, confirm with the facility that it and the providers are “in-network” to avoid cost-sharing.
Medicare and most private insurers cover these screenings with no out-of-pocket costs for patients who qualify. Follow-up tests and additional screenings after your initial scan may require a co-pay or deductible. Our patient navigators can help you understand your coverage.
Please see Lung.org for more information.
There is a small amount of radiation in a CT scan. For all medical procedures, it is important to weigh the pros and cons to be sure each decision is right for you. There is a special scan dedicated to lung cancer screening which is even lower than usual chest CT scans. The radiation is monitored to be sure it is as low as possible to still get good images. It is generally accepted that the ‘pros’ of finding lung cancer early with a CT scan far outweigh the ‘cons’.
A CT only takes a few minutes to scan which is different from an MRI scan which can take several minutes, up to an hour or more. We’ll help you schedule your CT scan for a convenient time so you can get your yearly screen efficiently.
Exam Eligibility USPSTF 2022 Guidelines:
You may have questions like, “Am I eligible for a lung cancer screening”, although it may be a little confusing, we are here to help you navigate everything without the stress and headache of doing it alone.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recently updated the eligibility guidelines for lung cancer screening to the following:
- Individuals between the ages of 50 and 80 years
- Individuals who are currently smoking or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening should be discontinued once the individual has not smoked for 15 years.
- History of at least 20 “pack years” of smoking. (A pack year equals the number of packs smoked per day times the number of years the patient smoked; two packs a day for 10 years equals 20 pack years.
However, Medicare and Medicaid coverage guidelines for lung cancer screening remain (as of 9 March 2021) as:
- 55-77 year-olds
- Smoked within the past 15 years
- 20 pack-years
Lung cancer screening involves getting a CT (or CAT) scan of your chest. The procedure involves you lying still and going through a doughnut-shaped machine while multiple images are taken using X-rays and a computer.
Symptoms like pain, unexpected or unplanned weight loss, coughing up blood, or a changing cough that won’t go away are concerning for lung cancer, especially if you are a smoker. But lung cancer screening is not for people with symptoms. If you have any symptoms that concern you, please discuss them with your physician.
Screening can help find lung cancer at an early stage when more successful treatment can be offered. Without screening, lung cancer is usually found at a late stage.
Working together to improve access to lung cancer screenings for everyone
Oatmeal Health collaborates with companies, governments, nonprofits, and other organizations to address complex healthcare challenges on a national scale. Our partners contribute more than money. Their ideas, volunteer power, in-kind support, and more are helping build stronger communities.
