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Boyle Introduces New Legislation to Expand Coverage for Lung Cancer Screening

June 8, 2020

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), who chairs the Congressional Lung Cancer Caucus, introduced legislation today that expands coverage for lung cancer screenings. This bill will reduce the out-of-pocket costs for more patients as they pursue these preventative treatments.

"In the fight to end cancer, we must do everything we can to give patients the resources they need," said Congressman Boyle. "Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Americans, but unlike other cancers, there are burdensome requirements to obtain screenings. Early detection is the best way to combat the low survival rate of lung cancer, which is why we must extend coverage for free lung screenings to include the populations that have seen an increase of diagnoses. Cost should not be a prohibitive factor to get life-saving treatment."

Katherine's Lung Cancer Early Detection and Survival Act, named after the daughter of former Congressman Rick Nolan, seeks parity in cancer screening affordability by extending coverage to people over the age of 40 and removing the requirement that patients must have a history of smoking. Despite the pervasiveness of lung cancer, under current law, free screening coverage only applies to those aged 55 and older who have a 30-pack-a-year smoking history; but, as data shows, nonsmoking populations also have high rates of lung cancer. Meanwhile, free screenings are available for breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer at much earlier ages than lung cancer.

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Issues:Health Care