April 2016
Also this week, the ATS submitted comments to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) welcoming the Task Force's draft proposal to provide a "B" recommendation to screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) in at risk adults. The USPSTF final recommendation will ensure that LTBI screening for at-risk adults is a free preventive service covered by most private health insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. However, the ATS urged the USPSTF to include a strong statement recommending treatment for LTBI, including coverage of the full cost of diagnosis and treatment, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), in order to prevent disease transmission. The ATS states in its letter that the USPSTF's recommendation is "an important public health measure that will ultimately reduce health system costs." View the ATS letter to the USPSTF.
