Reps. Sewell, Arrington, Ruiz, and Hudson Introduce Bipartisan Legislation

Dec 3, 2020

Reps. Sewell, Arrington, Ruiz, and Hudson Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Remove Barriers to Innovative Multi-Cancer Screening Technology for Medicare Beneficiaries

H.R. 8845, the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would ensure prompt access to FDA-approved multi-cancer screening tests and fuel innovation in cancer screening

Under current law, Medicare coverage of preventive services is limited to circumstances in which Congress has explicitly authorized coverage or the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the service with a grade of A or B. In the absence of this legislation, it could take several years after the FDA approval before Medicare beneficiaries could receive coverage for such tests. This bill would greatly reduce any such access delays for seniors while allowing CMS to use its evidence-based process to determine coverage. Accordingly, these new multi-cancer screening tools will complement existing screenings and dramatically improve our nation’s cancer early detection capabilities.

https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-arrington-ruiz-and-hudson-introduce-bipartisan-legislation