# Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021

This bill would require Medicare to cover blood tests that can screen for multiple types of cancer at once. Right now, Medicare covers specific cancer screenings like mammograms for breast cancer and colonoscopies for colon cancer, but it doesn't cover these newer multi-cancer detection tests. This bill would change that by allowing Medicare to pay for blood tests designed to find early signs of several different cancers in a single test.

The practical effect is that Medicare beneficiaries—people 65 and older, plus some younger people with disabilities—could get these multi-cancer screening blood tests covered by their insurance without paying out of pocket. These tests work by looking for cancer signals in the blood, potentially catching cancers earlier than traditional screening methods. For seniors on fixed incomes, this could mean easier access to potentially life-saving early detection without worrying about the cost.

The bill essentially tells Medicare to treat these newer screening tests the same way it treats other preventive care services. However, the actual coverage would depend on Medicare's review of whether these tests are effective enough to warrant coverage. This is important because not all new medical tests are equally reliable, so Medicare would need to evaluate the science before deciding exactly which multi-cancer blood tests qualify for coverage and under what circumstances patients can receive them.

Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021

Crapo, Mike

Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types. The Government Accountability Office must report on the resulting utilization and effectiveness of such tests.