IHCP coverage of cervical cancer screenings revised

The Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) is revising its coverage policy for cervical cancer screenings. Effective August 1, 2014, the IHCP will cover FDA approved high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) tests only for women who are 30 years of age or older; high-risk HPV tests for women who are not at least 30 years of age will be non-covered. In addition, the IHCP will no longer cover low-risk HPV tests. The IHCP follows the cervical cancer screening recommendations from the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). The IHCP currently covers services including cytology (Pap test) and an HPV test, as well as medically necessary services such as the collection of the samples, screening by a cytotechnologist, and the physician’s interpretation of the test results. The USPSTF has concluded most cases of cervical cancer occur in women who are not adequately screened. The USPSTF recommends cervical cancer screenings for women aged 21 to 65 with cytology every three years. For women aged 30 to 65 who want to lengthen the screening interval, screening with a combination of cytology and HPV testing is recommended every five years.