WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congress failed to advance a bipartisan year-end health care package that would have made a big difference in the fight against cancer. The bill included language based on the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (House)/ Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act (Senate) and the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act, which are key priorities for cancer patients and their families.
The following is a statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) reacting to Congress’ inability to pass a bipartisan year-end health care package:
“This week, Congress missed a tremendous opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of cancer patients, survivors and their families by failing to pass a bipartisan year-end health care agreement. This package included legislative victories for the detection and treatment of cancer such as provisions based on the Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act, which ACS CAN has long advocated for and was the most supported bipartisan health care bill in the 118th Congress. The critical legislation would create a pathway for access to early detection tests once approved by the Food and Drug Administration and clinical benefit has been shown.
“Additionally, the package would have reauthorized the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) through 2028 based on language from the bipartisan SCREENS for Cancer Act. The NBCCEDP provides free and low-cost critical breast and cervical cancer screenings, follow-up, diagnosis and treatment referral services to people who need them the most. Early detection of breast and cervical cancers through screening is key to improving survival rates and reducing mortality by finding cancer at an early stage when treatment is more effective and less expensive.
“Thousands of ACS CAN volunteers from across the country and political spectrum have devoted countless hours to advocating for these lifesaving policies and are no doubt disappointed with the lack of action. Cancer patients and their families count on Congress to prioritize critical policies that reduce barriers to the health care they need.
“We call on the 119th Congress to immediately revisit these important pieces of legislation when they convene in January, as well as provide the highest possible funding for cancer research and prevention through the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
