Today is World Cancer Day, a time to remember those affected by cancer and to focus on progress in the fight against this disease. And here in Washington something big just happened that could make a real difference.
Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of eastern Iowa announced that a major piece of cancer detection legislation was signed into law yesterday by President Trump.
The new law is called the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. It will help Medicare cover new multi-cancer early detection tests, which are advanced screenings that can find many types of cancer from a single test.
Dr. Miller-Meeks, who herself is a physician, said early detection saves lives and this law will give seniors access to cutting-edge tools that can find cancer earlier, improve treatment success, and reduce suffering for patients and their families.
Under the law, Medicare will begin covering FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection tests starting in 2028. These tests will be available once a year for eligible beneficiaries without replacing existing cancer screenings people already rely on. The law also ensures fair payment rates for providers and gives the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services the funding to make the coverage work smoothly.
This announcement comes on World Cancer Day, a fitting reminder that progress against cancer comes not just through awareness, but through action.