STS Urges Expansion of Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines
STS recently joined forces with the American College of Radiology and GO2 for Lung Cancer to urge the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) to liberalize their lung cancer screening guidelines. In a joint letter, STS emphasized the need for these agencies to continuously review and update their guidelines based on the latest medical evidence.
"The medical evidence on lung cancer screening and detection continues to evolve. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and US Preventive Services Taskforce to routinely review the best evidence available and update their guidelines accordingly," said STS President Jennifer Romano, MD, MS. “Eliminating the upper age and years since quit restrictions would improve outcomes for millions. We strongly support this change."
STS Advocacy Leadership Summit
In May, 14 STS leaders gathered in Washington, DC, to participate in the first-ever STS Advocacy Leadership Summit to champion critical issues for the cardiothoracic surgery specialty. Their focus included advocating for:
- An automatic annual inflation update for Medicare payments to ensure high-quality patient care
- Supporting added research for nonsmoking women diagnosed with lung cancer
- Pushing for a ban on non-compete agreements to allow surgeons to practice without undue restrictions
- Extending telehealth coverage permanently to guarantee patient access regardless of geographical barriers or unforeseen circumstances
Would you like to help STS and the specialty by being a grassroots advocate? This summer and fall are ideal times to meet or host your lawmakers as they return home to campaign from August through Election Day. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact the STS Government Relations team.
STS-PAC Helps Elect Physician Candidates for Congress
Each election cycle, STS-PAC backs non-incumbent physicians running for Congress. This year, two STS-PAC-supported candidates have won their primary elections and are on track to be elected to Congress in the fall. Herb Conway, MD (D, NJ-03), an internist, and Maxine Dexter, MD (D, OR-03), a pulmonologist, are expected to become new lawmakers who understand the challenges facing physicians. With a fully-funded STS-PAC, STS was able to support these candidates and create influential allies in Congress, fostering a more supportive legislative environment for healthcare professionals.
Additional non-incumbent physician candidates STS-PAC has supported who have primaries in August:
- Kelly Morrison, MD (D, MN-03), obstetrician gynecologist
- Bob Onder, MD (R, MO-03), internist
- Prasanth Reddy, MD (R, KS-03), internist and medical oncologist
STS-PAC Contributors
Thank you to those who have supported the STS-PAC. Here's a list of our 2024 STS-PAC Contributors.