WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 22, 2023 – A bill introduced in the Senate this week aims to improve future equitable access to new and innovative cancer screenings among Medicare beneficiaries in order to increase early detection of more cancers for more individuals. The Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act would allow Medicare to cover multi-cancer screening tests, once approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and proven to have clinical benefit.
Lead sponsors of the Senate version of the Act include Senators Mike Bennet (D-CO), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Tim Scott (R-SC).
Because the risk of cancer increases with age, Medicare beneficiaries make up the majority of individuals diagnosed with cancer and are especially vulnerable to the disease. 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.