Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Expand Access to Early Cancer Detection for Medicare Enrollees

Over 700 cancer advocates gathered in Washington D.C. to urge lawmakers to pass the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act, a bipartisan legislation that aims to expand access to early detection services for Medicare enrollees. The bill, which has the broad support of 305 members of the House of Representatives, would create a pathway for Medicare enrollees to access Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests once they have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and clinical benefit has been shown. The bill is expected to be marked up in the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means and will have a subcommittee hearing in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Key Takeaways:

• The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act aims to expand access to early detection services for Medicare enrollees by creating a pathway for MCED tests approved by the FDA and showing clinical benefit.
• The bill has the broad support of 305 members of the House of Representatives, representing over 60% of the House of Representatives.
• Over 700 cancer advocates gathered in Washington D.C. to urge lawmakers to pass the bill, which also includes provisions to protect funding for cancer research and prevention and extend the vital health care tax credits.
• The bill is sponsored by Representatives Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Terri Sewell (D-AL), who are working with Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) to advance the legislation in the Senate.
• The bill has the support of 61 Senate colleagues, representing over 60% of the Senate.
• Over 550 organizations from across the country have signed on to one or more formal letters of support for the bill.

Statistics:

• Over 700 cancer advocates gathered in Washington D.C. during ACS CAN's annual Leadership Summit & Lobby Day (Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network).
• 305 members of the House of Representatives have signed on as cosponsors of the bill, representing over 60% of the House of Representatives (Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network).
• 61 Senate colleagues have signed on in support of the Senate companion bill, representing over 60% of the Senate (Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Society Action Network).
• Over 2 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025 (Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network).
• Over 1 million of those cases are expected to be diagnosed in individuals over the age of 65 (Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network).

Sources:

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• Washington, Sept. 17 -- American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network issued the following news release: