New York State Department of Health Highlights Governor Hochul’s Action to Eliminate Cost Barriers to Lung Cancer Screening
New Report Finds Only 1 in 5 Eligible New Yorkers Receive Lung Cancer Screening
ALBANY, N.Y. (December 12, 2025) - The New York State Department of Health today highlighted new legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul that eliminates financial barriers to follow-up lung cancer screening and diagnostic services—an important step to advance affordability and health equity as new data show that far too few eligible New Yorkers are being screened.
The Department recently released a report, Lung Cancer Screening, New York State Adults ages 50-80, 2022, which shows that many New Yorkers who could benefit from lung cancer screening are not getting screened. Governor Hochul's action removes cost-related obstacles that can prevent individuals from completing recommended follow-up care after an initial screening.
"Early detection can save lives, and no New Yorker should avoid critical screening because of cost," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Governor Hochul's leadership is helping ensure that eligible adults can access the care they need to detect lung cancer early, when treatment is most effective."
The report, based on data from the New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, finds that approximately 648,000 New Yorkers ages 50 to 80 years-about 1 in 10 in this age group-are eligible for lung cancer screening. Among them, only 1 in 5 (19.4%) reported receiving screening in the past year.
Lung cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer death in the state. Tobacco smoking causes over 80% of lung cancer cases. Early detection through screening can save lives by finding cancer when it is more treatable.
Lung cancer screening is recommended for adults who are at high risk for developing the disease because of their smoking history and age. Screening involves a low-dose CT scan and is recommended annually for adults aged 50 to 80 years with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. Screening does not require quitting smoking.
The Department has created several successful programs and initiatives that aim to promote lung cancer screening and reduce and prevent tobacco use among New Yorkers.
The New York State Cancer Consortium is a statewide network made up of more than 400 members from the public and private sectors whose missions are aligned with reducing cancer incidence and mortality. Consortium Action Teams come together to address some of New York's highest burden of preventable cancers. The Consortium's Lung Cancer Screening Action Team mobilizes multi-level resources to promote lung cancer screening based on guideline-driven, evidence-based strategies.
The Action Team led the development of the New York State Lung Cancer Screening Locator, an easy way to find a facility that offers lung cancer screening.
The Tobacco Control Program has established a comprehensive infrastructure that includes health communications and media, tobacco use treatment interventions, community programming, and statewide and community action. To ensure that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to live smoke-free lives, the Tobacco Control Program provides funding to community grantees through its Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities and Health Systems for Tobacco-Free New York initiatives.
The Program also supports New Yorkers in their quitting efforts through the New York State Quitline which provides free, confidential services, including information, tools, quit coaching, support in both English and Spanish, and free Nicotine Replacement Therapy, such as patches and gum. The Quitline has recently expanded its services to include information about lung cancer screening.
More information about lung cancer screening can be found here.
More information about lung cancer can be found here.
More information about quitting smoking can be found here.
More information about New York State cancer statistics and helpful reports can be found here.
