Bill > S755

This bill aims to expand Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage for advanced cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests, effective January 1, 2027. Specifically, the bill defines cancer diagnostic tests as including advanced genetic testing methods like microarray analysis, DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, and whole-exome sequencing, when performed and reported by a clinical laboratory. The legislation allows these tests to be performed once at initial cancer diagnosis, once upon cancer recurrence, and as needed for treatment planning or monitoring. Medicare will cover 80% of test costs (or 100% if paid on an assignment basis), and the tests will be exempt from standard deductibles. Additionally, the bill mandates a new education and awareness program led by the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Human Genome Research Institute to inform physicians and the public about genomic testing, its uses, and the role of genetic counselors. The program will also encourage medical education programs to include training on molecular diagnostics in cancer diagnosis and recurrence, highlighting the importance of understanding genetic mutations in cancer treatment.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/755/all-info