Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 668 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive coinsurance under Medicare for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 6, 2019 Mr. BROWN (for himself, Mr. WICKER, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. COLLINS, Ms. BALD- WIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. CASEY, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRAMER, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. HAS- SAN, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. JONES, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. PETERS, Mr. REED, Mr. SANDERS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. UDALL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, and Mrs. BLACKBURN) in- troduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com- mittee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive coinsurance under Medicare for colorectal cancer screen- ing tests, regardless of whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:59 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S668.IS S668 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •S 668 IS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Removing Barriers to 2 Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019’’. 3 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 4 Congress finds the following: 5 (1) Colorectal cancer is the second leading 6 cause of cancer death among men and women com- 7 bined in the United States. 8 (2) In 2019, more than 145,600 Americans will 9 be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and approxi- 10 mately 51,000 Americans will die from it. 11 (3) Approximately 60 percent of colorectal can- 12 cer cases and 70 percent of deaths occur in those 13 aged 65 and older. 14 (4) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy al- 15 lows for the detection and removal of polyps, or ab- 16 normal growths, that could become cancerous, as 17 well as for the early detection of colorectal cancer 18 when treatment can be most effective. 19 (5) Although colorectal cancer is largely pre- 20 ventable, one in three adults over the age of 50 are 21 not up to date with recommended colorectal cancer 22 screening. 23 (6) Over 1,700 organizations have committed to 24 eliminating colorectal cancer as a major public 25 health problem and are working toward the shared 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:59 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S668.IS S668 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •S 668 IS goal of reaching 80 percent screened for colorectal 1 cancer in every community. 2 (7) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy is a 3 highly effective preventive service, and removing fi- 4 nancial barriers can help to increase screening rates. 5 SEC. 3. WAIVING MEDICARE COINSURANCE FOR 6 COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING TESTS. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1833(a)(1)(Y) of the So- 8 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(Y)) is amended 9 by inserting ‘‘, including a colorectal cancer screening test 10 (regardless of the code that is billed for the establishment 11 of a diagnosis as a result of the test, or for the removal 12 of tissue or other procedure that is furnished in connection 13 with, as a result of, and in the same clinical encounter 14 as the screening test),’’ after ‘‘section 1861(ddd)(3)’’. 15 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 16 this section shall apply to items and services furnished 17 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 18 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:59 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S668.IS S668 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS