On Thursday, June 27, the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means passed the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act by a vote of 38-0. This legislation will help to ensure Medicare enrollees have access to MCED tests once the tests have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and clinical benefit has been shown.

Pictured above, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) team members and volunteers stand with MCED bill Sponsor Rep. Terri Sewell (center) after the bill was passed out of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means with their “V" to celebrate the day's victory.

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The bipartisan legislation has broad support of 284 members of the House of Representatives from across the political spectrum signed on as cosponsors. This includes more than 80% of members of the Ways and Means Committee and over 70% of members of the Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition to congressional support, more than 520 organizations from across the country, in every state, have signed on to one or more formal letters of support.

“We thank Representatives Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) for continuing to champion this important legislation, which has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Medicare enrollees and their families,” said Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN.

“In 2024, more than 2 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer and over 1 million of those cases are expected to be diagnosed in individuals over the age of 65,” she added. “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.”

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