What We’re Reading: Expanded Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines; Expert Health Insurance Advice; Patients Uber to Appointments

ACS Expanded Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommended on Wednesday that anyone with a significant smoking history should get an annual low-dose CT scan for lung cancer, according to STAT. These screening guidelines differ from those prior, which relied on how much people smoked and when they last smoked. The new guidelines also expanded the screening age range from 55 through 74 to 50 through 80. Additionally, the new guidelines lowered the smoking history requirement from 30 cigarette pack years to 20 or more. The new guidelines bring the ACS’ new age range and smoking history requirements in line with the US Preventive Services Task Force’s lung cancer guidelines; most private insurance plans cover lung cancer screening guidelines with an A or B grade recommendation from the task force, but some do follow the ACS guidelines.

Experts Suggest Doing Research Before Buying Health Insurance Through the Marketplace

Experts advised patients to do their research before choosing a plan as it is time for Americans to pick their 2024 health coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, according to the Associated Press. Experts cautioned buyers from picking a plan based on price alone. Instead, to avoid thousands of dollars in financial surprises, they suggested buyers know how a plan works, what it covers, and what care costs they may have to pay upfront. Additional things experts advised buyers to consider include tax credits, patient costs, and coverage networks. This year, marketplaces saw record enrollment of more than 16 million eligible Americans who do not have coverage through work, Medicaid, or Medicare; the annual enrollment window started today, November 2, and runs into December.

Uber, Lyft Take Low-Income Patients to Medical Appointments in GOP States

Republican-led states have begun partnering with rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to take residents to their medical appointments, according to Stateline. Mississippi became the latest state to do so as its contract with Uber Health says it will pay the company up to $1 million annually to provide residents non-emergency transportation to and from their local health department in an attempt to improve the state’s overall health; state advocates and medical groups have called the health care situation there a crisis that is getting worse as transportation barriers have contributed to high rates of missed appointments. Many lawmakers in Republican-led states have supported Uber and Lyft lobbying for the use of Medicaid funding for transporting patients to medical appointments as states spend about $2 billion annually on non-emergency transportation for Medicaid patients. Other states that have partnered with rideshare companies include Arizona, Texas, and Florida.