On Thursday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined Reps. Jodey Arrington, Richard Hudson, and Raul Ruiz to introduce the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act. The legislation is named for Rep. Sewell’s late mother, who passed away in 2021 from pancreatic cancer. This bipartisan legislation would create a pathway for Medicare to cover emerging blood-based cancer screenings, potentially allowing doctors to catch cancer earlier than ever.
During the last Congress, the bill garnered the support of a bipartisan majority of the House and Senate—with 258 House cosponsors and 54 Senate cosponsors—and over 400 organizations nationwide.
“No family in America has been spared the scourge of cancer,” said Rep. Sewell, lead Democratic sponsor. “Fortunately, innovative multi-cancer early detection screenings are emerging which hold the potential to detect cancer earlier than ever before. I’m proud to once again introduce the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, named for my late mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell, to ensure that our seniors can access these tools once they are FDA approved. Not only will this bill save lives, but it will also help reduce the glaring racial disparities in cancer diagnosis and death. I look forward to harnessing our momentum from the 117th Congress to get this bill across the finish line!”
“Multi-cancer early detection is one of the many incredible examples of the United States leading in medical innovation,” said Rep. Arrington, the lead Republican sponsor. “This type of screening has the potential to improve quality of life for millions of American cancer patients and their families while saving taxpayer dollars by treating cancer before it spreads. I am proud of the bipartisan support this bill gained last Congress and remain firm in my belief that this legislation will drastically improve our ability to treat and prevent cancer.”
“Too many families are devastated by a cancer diagnosis every day in the United States,” said Rep. Hudson. “By increasing access to multi-cancer early detection screening tests through Medicare, we can detect cancers sooner and save lives in North Carolina and around the country. As a member of the Health Subcommittee, I once again look forward to advancing this bipartisan legislation.”
“Detecting cancer early improves health outcomes and saves lives,” said Dr. Ruiz. “With innovative medical technologies, we can catch more cancers earlier than ever, but patients must be able to access these screenings. That’s why it’s very important for Medicare policy to keep pace with the development of multi-cancer screenings. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act to modernize Medicare coverage so older Americans can access these screenings and improve their health outcomes.”
The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would increase seniors’ timely access to multi-cancer early detection technology by creating a pathway to Medicare coverage. This bill will allow for Medicare coverage of MCED screenings once they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The impact of late-stage cancer diagnosis is magnified in communities of color and throughout rural America, where overall cancer outcomes are worse. These tools introduce a significant shift in the cancer screening landscape. The sponsors believe ensuring seniors have timely access is essential since age is the primary risk factor for cancer, and more than 70% of cancer diagnoses are in the Medicare population.
This legislation would:
· Create the authority for CMS to cover blood-based MCED tests and future test methods once approved by the FDA and shown to have clinical benefit.
· Maintain CMS’ authority to use an evidence-based process to determine coverage parameters for these new tests.
· Clarify that (1) these new tools will complement, not replace, existing screenings and coverage and (2) cost-sharing will not be impacted.
Thomas “Ted” Greer Jr., CEO of Birmingham-based Alabama Regional Medical Services, stated. “People of color are at the greatest risk for cancer deaths, at least partly because of disparities in early detection. We believe new screening technologies offer a chance to reduce those disparities, and we applaud Rep. Sewell’s steadfast leadership to clear a path for these tests to be accessible to those at highest risk for cancer.”
The American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network released a statement supporting this legislation. “The Multi Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would potentially expand access to cancer screenings in Medicare. The bill would allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to initiate an evidence-based coverage process for a multi-cancer screening test following FDA approval and once shown to have clinical benefit. ACS CAN supports the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act to provide Medicare coverage of screening tests that are FDA approved. Cancer screening and early detection are key priorities for ACS CAN.”
The Prevent Cancer Foundation wrote, “The importance of detecting cancer early cannot be overstated. With the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, Congress can unlock a new era in how cancer is detected and treated. We thank the sponsors and cosponsors for recognizing that older adults are at the most risk for cancer, and we must create a pathway to access the latest cancer detection tools. We’ve been proud to bring an astounding 400+ organizations together in calling for the passage of the bill. Let’s make early detection a reality for Medicare beneficiaries.”
The Association of Community Cancer Centers wrote, “MCED technology holds the potential to alter the current cancer screening paradigm by providing the oncology community with the tools they need to find many more cancers in earlier, more treatable stages. ACCC is committed to advancing best practices and policies that will facilitate the integration of MCED tests into our healthcare system, and that includes supporting the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. The war on cancer requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and we need new tools, like MCED, to make a major impact. We’re grateful to leaders in Congress who are working to ensure older Americans can access this important new cancer screening tool.”
This legislation has received statements of support from more than 400 organizations across all 50 states.
Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Michael Bennett (D-Colorado), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland).
30,830 Alabamians will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and approximately 10,590 Alabamians will die of cancer (2021 estimates). Cancer is the number two cause of death in Alabama, behind only heart attacks and heart disease.
The National Cancer Institute and the FDA are currently evaluating multi-cancer early detection tests (MCEDs). MCEDs have the potential to identify the presence of numerous forms of cancer from just a simple blood sample.
Terri Sewell is in her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District.
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