WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House released text of the FY25 Continuing Resolution and year-end health care package which includes language based on the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (House)/ Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act (Senate). The legislation would ensure that people with Medicare 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 is the most supported health care bill in Congress with the broad support of 318 members of the House of Representatives and 63 members of the Senate.
In advance of the upcoming vote on the package, Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released the following statement:
“ACS CAN is thrilled to see this critical legislation, which has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with Medicare coverage and their families, included in the year-end health care package. We know that the risk of developing cancer increases with age as do the odds of developing an invasive form of cancer. In 2024, more than 2 million people in America are expected to have been diagnosed with cancer and over 1 million of those cases are expected to be in individuals over the age of 65. This Act, which ACS CAN has long advocated for, creates a pathway to ensure timely Medicare coverage of new, innovative multi-cancer screening tests, once FDA approved and clinical benefit shown, which can greatly expand access to early detection.
“We are extremely grateful for the bipartisan work done by Representatives Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) while championing this bill through the House as well as Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mike Bennet (D-CO) for their leadership in the Senate.
“This legislation would also not have been possible without the thousands of ACS CAN volunteers across the country who advocated on its behalf both at home and in Washington, D.C during this session of Congress.
“We strongly urge lawmakers to pass this year-end package which creates a pathway for access to early detection for those most at risk of developing cancer and brings us one step closer to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone.”