WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means is expected to mark up the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act. The legislation would ensure that Medicare enrollees have access to MCED tests once the tests have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and clinical benefit has been shown.
The bipartisan legislation has broad support of 284 members of the House of Representatives from across the political spectrum signed on as cosponsors. This includes more than 80% of members of the Ways and Means Committee and over 70% of members of the Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition to congressional support, more than 520 organizations from across the country, in every state, have signed on to one or more formal letters of support.
In response to tomorrow’s mark up, Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network released the following statement:
“We are pleased to see the House Committee on Ways and Means take a step toward passing the bipartisan Nancy Gardner Sewell MCED Screening Coverage Act. We thank Representatives Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) for continuing to champion this important legislation which has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Medicare enrollees and their families.
“In 2024, more than 2 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer and over 1 million of those cases are expected to be diagnosed in individuals over the age of 65. The Act creates a pathway to ensure timely Medicare coverage of new, innovative multi-cancer screening tests and expand access to early detection once clinical benefit is shown.
“We urge Congress to pass the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act to ensure access to early detection for our most vulnerable communities and save lives.”