Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017

Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017

This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1017 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1017

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive coinsurance 
  under Medicare for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of 
   whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 13, 2017

    Mr. Dent (for himself, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Lance) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive coinsurance 
  under Medicare for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of 
   whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Removing Barriers to Colorectal 
Cancer Screening Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer 
        death among men and women combined in the United States.
            (2) In 2017, more than 135,000 Americans will be diagnosed 
        with colorectal cancer and approximately 50,000 Americans will 
        die from it.
            (3) Approximately 60 percent of colorectal cancer cases and 
        70 percent of deaths occur in those aged 65 and older.
            (4) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy allows for the 
        detection and removal of polyps, or abnormal growths, that 
        could become cancerous, as well as for the early detection of 
        colorectal cancer when treatment can be most effective.
            (5) Although colorectal cancer is largely preventable, one 
        in three adults between the ages of 50 and 75 are not up to 
        date with recommended colorectal cancer screening.
            (6) Over 1,000 organizations have committed to eliminating 
        colorectal cancer as a major public health problem and are 
        working toward the shared goal of reaching 80 percent screened 
        for colorectal cancer by 2018.
            (7) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy is a highly 
        effective preventive service, and removing financial barriers 
        can help to increase screening rates.

SEC. 3. WAIVING MEDICARE COINSURANCE FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING 
              TESTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1833(a)(1)(Y) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(Y)) is amended by inserting ``, including a 
colorectal cancer screening test (regardless of the code that is billed 
for the establishment of a diagnosis as a result of the test, or for 
the removal of tissue or other procedure that is furnished in 
connection with, as a result of, and in the same clinical encounter as 
the screening test),'' after ``section 1861(ddd)(3)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
to items and services furnished after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
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