Bill · S. 755· Senate(119-S-755)
Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act
- Introduced
- 2/26/2025
- Last activity
- 2/26/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Roger Wicker
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act aims to facilitate the development of cancer treatments. It expands coverage for cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests, including DNA and RNA sequencing, under Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. For Medicare, the bill specifies how often these tests can be furnished, such as at diagnosis or recurrence. The legislation also includes provisions for payment adjustments and deductible exemptions. Additionally, it mandates an education and awareness program regarding genomic testing.
Yes· 3 of 10
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
The bill increases access to essential cancer diagnostic tools through Medicare, Medicaid, and CHPI coverage.
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+7
The bill expands Medicare coverage for cancer diagnostic tests and exempts them from deductibles.
Would children be better off under this?+6
The bill expands CHIP coverage for cancer diagnostic tests for targeted low-income children.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Medicare Coverage: Medicare would cover cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests, such as microarray analysis and DNA sequencing, for individuals diagnosed with cancer (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Financial Relief for Medicare Patients: The bill states that the deductible shall not apply with respect to these cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests (Section 2(a)(2)(B)(ii)).
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Medicaid Inclusion: Cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests would be included as medical assistance under Medicaid (Section 2(b)(1)).
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CHIP Coverage: Beginning January 1, 2025, child health assistance for targeted low-income children and pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women under CHIP would include coverage for these tests (Section 2(c)).
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Increased Medical Knowledge: The Secretary of Health and Human Services will carry out an education and awareness program to inform physicians and the general public about genomic testing and the role of genetic counselors (Section 3(a)).
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Specialized Medical Training: The education program will encourage training in graduate and continuing medical education regarding the importance of molecular diagnostics for detecting cancer mutations (Section 3(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Frequency Restrictions for Medicare: Medicare coverage for certain tests is limited to specific instances, such as once upon diagnosis or once upon recurrence, unless needed for treatment planning or monitoring (Section 2(a)(1)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7Increases Medicaid Funding+5Increases Medicare Funding+5Increases Research Funding+3Increases Affordable Care Act Support+1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Seniors+7Good For Children+6Good For Low Income Households+6Good For People With Disabilities+1
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+2
- 2/26/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota