Arrington's multi-cancer early detection screening bill receives bipartisan support

"We are closer than ever to unleashing the power of early detection and saving millions of lives"

By Mateo Riles
September 19, 2025
AS SEEN IN THE LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

A West Texas congressman's bill has gotten a bipartisan nod to move forward to potentially ensure multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests are covered by Medicare.

On Thursday, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee advanced U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington's Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (H.R.842) in a 43-0 vote.

"This critical legislation will give seniors access to groundbreaking innovation that will transform the way we treat, diagnose, and prevent cancer," Arrington said. "With over 300 cosponsors in the House, 60 in the Senate, over 500 organizations and even Cowboys QB Dak Prescott supporting it, we are closer than ever to unleashing the power of early detection and saving millions of lives."

In essence, the bill would allow for Medicare coverage of MCED screenings once they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is being co-led by U.S. Rep. Sewell, D-Alabama.

According to Arrington's office, the U.S. is only able to commonly screen for five cancers and just 14% of cancers are found through screenings.

After the passage of the bill, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Missouri, and other healthcare and industry leaders thanked Arrington for his leadership on the bill.

"The fact that our bill passed unanimously in the Ways and Means Committee less than 24 hours after Cancer Advocacy Day is a testament to its strong, bipartisan momentum and its potential to save countless lives," Smith said. "Cancer knows no political party, and I’m proud of the bipartisan efforts of the Ways and Means Committee to advance this bill."

The bill still has a ways before landing on the president's desk as it is headed to the U.S. House Energy & Commerce committee, where it would receive markups and a vote. If it clears the committee, it would advance to the House floor for a vote.

What is the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act?

According to Arrington's office, the congressman named the bill in honor of his Democratic colleague Sewell's mother, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2021. 

This legislation would also ensure senior citizens have access to the testing, aiming to ensure that some of most vulnerable citizens are not left behind. 

The legislation would also: 

• Create the authority for CMS to cover blood-based MCED tests and future test methods once approved by the FDA and shown to have clinical benefit. 
• Maintain CMS’ authority to use an evidence-based process to determine coverage parameters for these new tests. 
• Clarify that (1) these new tools will complement, not replace, existing screenings and coverage and (2) cost sharing will not be impacted.

According to previous USA TODAY reporting, a version of the act was first introduced in 2020, then again in 2021 and in 2023.

But that hasn't stopped the bill from garnering national support, including from Dak Prescott, quarterback for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott supporting the bill

Prescott is not a stranger to cancer, having lost his mom, Peggy Prescott, in 2013 to colon cancer that was not diagnosed until it had progressed to stage 4.

"If early detection was easy and available, my mother and so many others would still be alive,” said Prescott. “The science and technology exist right now to dramatically reduce the impact of cancer and change the story of countless people and families for generations to come. We need this now. There is no acceptable reason for delay. This is literally about life and death, like it was for Tad (Carper)."

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In 2024, Prescott covered the entire team’s staff to receive MCED screenings, leading to the early detection of Cowboy’s Vice President of Communications Tad Carper’s cancer in his tonsils – detecting his cancer before any symptoms had appeared.

Carper credits the screening with saving his life and has since advocated for increased accessibility, as seen in his open-letter to Chairman Arrington from Nov. 22, 2024.

"This is critical for so many across our nation. A true game-changing life-saver. I was lucky enough to benefit from the access Dak provided. It shouldn’t need to come to that, though," said Carper. "It is inexcusable for this to be available, yet hitting roadblocks and delays. I applaud the efforts currently being made to save lives and the work being done by leaders like Representative Arrington and others to focus on what is needed."