The American College of Radiology has called on Congress to pass the Virtual Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act of 2010 (H.R. 5461), which would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide coverage of screening computed tomography colonography, or virtual colonoscopy, to Medicare beneficiaries, according to an ACR news release.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and was co-sponsored by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.).
In support of the bill, the ACR release cites clinical trials that show the accuracy of CTC, President Obama's recent physical, which included CTC, and the willingness of many payors, including CIGNA and UnitedHealthcare, to cover the procedure.
The ACR said in the release that CTC's minimal invasiveness and lower cost may lead to more screenings among Medicare beneficiaries, ultimately saving lives, especially in minority communities.
Read the ACR's news release on the Virtual Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act of 2010.