U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) has introduced a bill to expand colorectal cancer screening coverage.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The bill, titled the "Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act" (H.R.6275), would extend Medicare coverage to all FDA-approved colorectal cancer screening blood-based tests.
2. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Representative Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) and U.S. Representative John Delaney (D-Md.).
3. This past April, the FDA approved the first blood-based screening test, a noninvasive option that detects DNA markers in a patient's blood sample.
4. The bill is named after Mr. Payne's late father, who passed away in 2012 from colorectal cancer.
"Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, mainly because one in three Americans do not stay up-to-date with their screenings," Mr. Payne said. "We need new and innovative tools to reach these patients."