[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 479 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 479

 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 1, 2017

   Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Cardin, and Ms. Collins) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                          Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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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