ACCC Signs Statement on Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act of 2021

By Matt Devino, MPH

Last week, a bipartisan coalition of members in the House of Representatives introduced the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act of 2021 (H.R. 1946) in an effort to make the latest cancer screening technologies available to more patients.

If passed, the MCED Screening Coverage Act will allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cover MCED tests when they are approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. ACCC believes this legislation will help cancer care providers access the necessary technologies to detect and treat cancer earlier. MCED technologies are especially essential in addressing the access challenges experienced by underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and residents of rural regions.

The legislation is being sponsored by Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Richard Hudson (R-NC). By ensuring Medicare beneficiaries can access groundbreaking, potentially lifesaving cancer detection tests, this legislation can help ensure our seniors are covered to receive technologies that can detect multiple types of cancer before symptoms develop.  

In introducing the bill in the House, Rep. Sewell, the lead sponsor of the bill, emphasized the importance of equal access to care. “The lack of access to preventative services and treatments dramatically impacts health outcomes, particularly among our minority, economically fragile, and rural communities,” said Rep. Sewell. “This legislation will address those inequities by modernizing the Medicare statute to ensure timely access to multi-cancer screening for beneficiaries.”

Led by the Prevent Cancer Foundation, ACCC and more than 300 organizations representing all 50 states have signed a letter urging the passage of the MCED Screening Coverage Act. We strongly encourage Congress to pass the bill so cancer care providers can use the latest testing technologies at their disposal to improve quality of life with better patient outcomes.