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Lung Cancer Screening (CPB 0380, reviewed 2026-05-28)
Effective date
Not stated in the notice
Identified
Aug 19, 2026
Summary
Aetna covers annual low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening, CPT 71271, for current or former smokers ages 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year or more smoking history, and former smokers must have quit within the past 15 years. Annual LDCT is also covered for surveillance of non-small cell lung cancer, starting 2 years after definitive treatment, using CPT 71250. Artificial intelligence-based imaging, computer-aided detection for chest radiographs, PET for lung cancer screening, and LDCT screening for other indications such as asbestos-exposed individuals are considered experimental, investigational or unproven.
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What to do
Action · 6 steps
01Billing team: Bill CPT 71271 for annual lung cancer screening only when the patient is a current or former smoker aged 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year or more smoking history, and for former smokers only when they quit within the past 15 years.
02Report the covered ICD-10 codes that match the patient's history: Z12.2 for screening, F17.210 to F17.219 for nicotine dependence due to cigarettes, Z72.0 for tobacco use in former smokers ages 50 to 80, and Z87.891 for personal history of nicotine dependence in former smokers ages 50 to 80.
03Bill G0296 for the counseling visit used to determine eligibility and shared decision making.
04Do not bill CPT 0174T, 0175T, or PET codes 78811 to 78816 for lung cancer screening, because the policy lists them as not covered for these indications.
05Do not bill CPT 71250 for screening; bill it for surveillance only, for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (ICD-10 C34.00 to C34.92 or Z85.118), starting 2 years after definitive treatment.
06Annual screening should be discontinued once a person reaches age 81, has been smoke-free for 15 years, or develops a condition that precludes or discourages surgical treatment.
Codes mentioned
71271712507101071020710217102271030788117881378814788167104571048G0296F17.210F17.219F17.290F17.299F17.200F17.209F17.220F17.229Z12.2Z72.0Z87.891C34.00C34.10C34.92Z85.118Z77.090
Original notice
Lung Cancer Screening (CPB 0380, reviewed 2026-05-28)
aetna.com · Always check the source before changing claims.
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Related policy hubs
Aetna policiesRadiologyPulmonologyOncologyInternal MedicineCode 71271Code 71250Code 71010Code 71020Code 71021Code 71022Code 71030Code 78811Code 78813Code 78814Code 78816Code 71045Code 71048Code G0296Code F17.210Code F17.219Code F17.290Code F17.299Code F17.200Code F17.209Code F17.220Code F17.229Code Z12.2Code Z72.0Code Z87.891Code C34.00Code C34.10Code C34.92Code Z85.118Code Z77.090