03-04-2025
Seizing the moment: The U.S. Congress's opportunity to revolutionize cancer screening
MCED blood tests can detect the presence and location of dozens of cancer types with a high degree of accuracy. Because the test requires only a simple blood draw, it is easy to administer in rural areas and in smaller clinics that may not have specialized equipment, writes guest columnist Teresa Stanfill. (Getty Images)
This year, the U.S. Congress has a unique opportunity to strike a significant — and swift — blow against cancer.
Last Congress, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, led efforts to advance legislation establishing access to multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests. The Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would make a meaningful difference in how cancer is screened for and detected. The bill has sweeping support — both inside and outside of Congress — and, after enormous progress last session, it is ready for quick enactment this year.
Sen. Crapo's bill would remove regulatory red tape and create a pathway for MCED tests to be available to those who need them most.
For the nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries who will be diagnosed with cancer this year, access to these life-changing tests could mean catching their illnesses earlier — when it can be more easily treated. Catching cancer earlier not only improves a patient's chance of successful treatment, it also reduces the costly burden of cancer care, often helping patients and families avert expensive late-stage treatments and, more importantly, preserving hope and health.
Today's screening methods are the best tool we have against cancer, yet only five cancers — breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate — currently have broadly accessible methods. Because of this, more than 70% of U.S. cancer deaths are caused by cancers without approved early detection methods. Many patients with these cancers aren't diagnosed until their cancer is at a more advanced stage, requiring more invasive treatment – and all the physical, emotional, and financial strain that comes with it.
Here in Idaho, residents experience higher rates of some cancer types compared to the national average. If broad access to MCED tests becomes available, more Idahoans could have a better chance at beating the disease before it advances to more dangerous stages.
MCED blood tests can detect the presence and location of dozens of cancer types with a high degree of accuracy. Because the test requires only a simple blood draw, it is easy to administer in rural areas and in smaller clinics that may not have specialized equipment. This accessibility is particularly crucial in states like Idaho, where large portions of the population live far from major health care centers.
Early detection dramatically increases the likelihood of successful treatment, a fact underscored by the support for this legislation from medical associations across the state. Endorsers include the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, Idaho Center for Nursing, Idaho Medical Association, Idaho Society of Clinical Oncology, American Nurses Association of Idaho, Nurse Leaders of Idaho, and the Nurse Practitioners of Idaho – all of which recognize the potential of MCED tests to improve patient outcomes.
The Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would allow Medicare to cover MCED tests once they are approved by the FDA. This coverage is critical because most cancer diagnoses occur in people aged 65 and older. Enabling Medicare coverage would provide seniors with access to the latest in life-changing cancer screening technology — in the same way that it can be available in the private sector. This could level the playing field for older Americans, providing them with more options to catch cancer early and pursue treatment in its most manageable stages.
In the last Congress, nearly 400 lawmakers and over 500 advocacy organizations supported Sen. Crapo's bill. It has also already been deeply vetted by Congressional committees. With such a strong foundation of support — and an urgent need for better cancer detection — this legislation is now ready for swift passage.
Congress has the chance to secure an early and meaningful victory against cancer by passing this legislation now – potentially saving countless lives and sparing families the devastation of late-stage cancer diagnoses.
Thanks to Sen. Crapo's immense leadership, the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act is teed up for quick enactment this year. Idaho's cancer advocacy community is hopeful that Congress will now seize the moment without delay.
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