Removing Barriers to Care
In December 2025, New York passed legislation requiring health insurance companies to eliminate cost sharing for certain lung cancer screenings and follow-up diagnostic services. Following passage of Assembly Bill A1195A, comprehensive health insurance policies in the state must cover lung cancer screenings and follow-up diagnostic services in accordance with health care provider recommendations.
The Importance of Early Detection
The CDC recommends lung cancer screening through low-dose CT (LDCT) scans for individuals considered high risk. LDCT is a painless, non-invasive procedure that uses low-dose radiation from an x-ray machine to take detailed images of a person’s lungs. The American Cancer Society recommends LDCT screenings for people aged 50-80 who smoke or have a history of smoking.
Early detection has a large impact on patient outcomes. Approximately 70 percent of lung cancer patients have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. The result: only 15 percent are still alive five years after diagnosis. Studies have reported 20 percent reductions in lung cancer mortality with consistent annual screening. Increasing access to recommended screening is an important step toward increased early detection and improved patient outcomes.
Addressing Barriers to Screening
While early detection is highly beneficial, barriers including socioeconomic status, proximity to providers, and transportation challenges can prevent patients from accessing recommended screenings. New York’s assembly bill addresses one of these barriers by reducing out-of-pocket costs for eligible screening and follow-up diagnostic services.
Other states are also taking steps towards reducing barriers to care. Examples include Alabama, where public funding supports mobile screening units to address geographical barriers, and Maine, where legislation removing cost sharing requirements for prostate cancer screenings goes into effect in early 2027.
Addressing the complex challenges surrounding patient access to care will require a multifaceted approach that brings together complementary initiatives and legislative efforts. AACI encourages states to share best practices and learn from each other to reduce patient barriers.