Lung Cancer Screening

In an effort to urge Congress to support lung cancer screenings for Medicare patients, Huntington-Hill Imaging Center is participating in a lung cancer screening program. HHIC’s Dr. Jon Foran (far left) is pictured along with the Honorable Congresswoman Judy Chu (center), and representatives of Huntington Memorial Hospital. Learn more about HHIC’s Lung Screening Program.

Physicians from Huntington Memorial Hospital recently met with Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), urging our local congresswoman to support Medicare funding for lung cancer screenings. Studies have shown that such screenings could save an estimated 14,000 lives each year among Medicare beneficiaries. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) private insurers will begin covering the screening at no cost to patients. The ACA does not specify that Medicare must do so.

“Lung cancer screenings with low dose CT scans has been proven to lower cancer mortality in patients with a history of heavy cigarette smoking,” said Robbin Cohen, MD, medical director for the thoracic oncology program at Huntington Hospital. “Unless the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services acts soon, patients with private insurance will be covered for lung cancer screenings, but Medicare patients won’t. We wanted to work with Congresswoman Chu to ensure that Medicare patients are covered for this potentially life-saving program.”

Under Dr. Cohen’s leadership the Lung Cancer Program at Huntington Hospital has grown to be recognized as one of the largest and most comprehensive programs of its kind in the greater Los Angeles area.