NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – A bipartisan group of Congressional representatives today unveiled a bill that would require Medicare coverage for qualifying US Food and Drug Administration-approved blood-based colorectal cancer screening tests in order to boost screening in traditionally underserved communities.
The so-called Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act was introduced by Representative Donald Payne (D-NJ), who co-chairs the Congressional Men's Caucus, and is co-sponsored by Representatives Charlie Dent (R-PA) and John Delaney (D-MD). Named for Payne's father, a former Congressman who died from colorectal cancer in 2012, it would provide Medicare coverage for all FDA-approved blood-based screening tests with available screening methods and authorize equivalent CMS reimbursement.
"Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, mainly because one in three Americans do not stay up to date with their screenings," Payne said in a statement.
"For this reason, I have introduced legislation that would include all FDA-approved blood-based screening tests with available screening methods and authorize equivalent CMS reimbursement. By doing so, we can finally close the gap and screen the unscreened."
This new initiative is a unique opportunity to provide millions of unscreened, underserved Americans access to colorectal cancer screening and to ultimately save thousands of lives."