Rep. Terri Sewell Pushes Medicare Cancer Screening Bill

Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) took to the House Floor to welcome more than 700 cancer advocates from across the nation gathering in Washington for their annual advocacy day while also supporting Sewell’s bill H.R. 842, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act.

The cancer advocates, who are from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), representing every state and all 435 congressional districts, will meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to highlight the urgent need for polices that enhance cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and patient support.

According to the press release, “Rep. Sewell is proud to be leading legislation to ensure access to cutting-edge early detection cancer screenings for our nation’s seniors. H.R. 842, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, would create a pathway for Medicare to cover emerging diagnostic tools, once FDA-approved, which hold the promise of screening for up to 40 cancers with a simple blood test.”

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During her remarks, Sewell said, “Like so many of these advocates, I know firsthand the impact cancer can have on families. On June 10, 2021, I lost my beloved mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell, to pancreatic cancer. And like so many patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my mother’s cancer was not detected until ‘Stage 4’ and therefore was not treatable.”

H.R. 842 has strong bipartisan backing, boasting 295 House co-sponsors and 62 Senate co-sponsors. It is endorsed by more than 600 patient advocate organizations nationwide and is among the top legislative priorities of ACS CAN.

In addition, “In the 118^th Congress, the bill’s lead Republican sponsor, Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19), renamed the bill in honor of Rep. Sewell’s late mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in June 2021,” said the press release.

“When it comes to cancer, we know that early detection is our best protection, and that’s exactly what this bill will do,” said Sewell. “It will ensure that those who are most at risk of catching cancer early and stopping it before it spreads.”

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