Are Health Insurers using Obamacare to Deny Service?

Under the ACA, if Medicare approves a screening test (such as mammogram or colonoscopy) the private insurance must approve it without co-pay or deductible.

Recent studies have shown that in higher risk groups, such as smokers, an annual CAT scan screening for lung cancer will prevent deaths. There have been several recommendations to include this in preventative screening.

However, the ACA has opened the way for lobbying groups to oppose additional testing as ways for the insurance companies to keep their costs down (even though they pass everything off to us).

The US Public Health Task Force is an independent group that issues preventative care recommendations based on strong clinical evidence. If they give an A or B recommendation it means we probably should be doing it.

A Medicare advisory panel voted on Wednesday against paying for annual lung CT screening in heavy smokers — despite the fact that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a grade B recommendation in favor of screening high-risk groups in December 2013.

This decision is not binding on Medicare. But are we seeing politics and money once again making decisions which adversely affect our health?