Overview

• The Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss approved in June 2025 that statutory health insurance will fund yearly low-dose CT scans for long-term heavy smokers to detect lung cancer early.
• Eligibility is limited to people aged 50 to 75 with at least 25 years of continuous smoking and a minimum of 15 pack-years, including ex-smokers who quit within the past ten years.
• IQWiG expert Stefan Sauerland estimates about two million Germans meet the criteria for the new screening benefit.
• Data from the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum indicate that annual low-dose CT could cut lung cancer mortality in the target group by roughly 20 percent.
• After the Federal Ministry of Health confirms the decision, doctors and insurers must negotiate reimbursement before the program begins in April 2026.