Bill Would Increase Medicare Coverage For Colon Cancer Screening

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Colorectal Cancer
Article Date: 30 Apr 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced legislation (S 1164) that would expand reimbursements for colorectal cancer screening, CQ HealthBeat reports. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), would set reimbursements for colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic tests at levels similar to what Medicare paid in 1997, when the benefit originally was enacted. Cardin in a release said that payment rates for the procedure have declined by more than 33% since then. Under the measure, colorectal cancer screening procedures would be exempt from the customary Medicare deductible requirement regardless of the outcome of screening. Further, the legislation calls for Medicare to cover a preoperative visit or consultation before a screening or colonoscopy. Cardin said, "This bill not only increases access to colon cancer screenings for millions of Americans but will also save the Medicare system millions of dollars that would otherwise be spent on treating late-stage colon cancer" (CQ HealthBeat, 4/24).

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