I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1570 

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 

MARCH 6, 2019 

Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. 

MCKINLEY, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BRENDAN F. 

BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. CICILLINE, 

Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DEUTCH, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. 

GALLEGO, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HECK, 

Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. HILL of California, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. LEE of 

California, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, 

Ms. MATSUI, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. MOORE, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. QUIGLEY, Miss RICE of New York, 

Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. 

WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. BABIN, Mr. COLLINS of New 

York, Mr. COOK, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. GIANFORTE, Ms. HERRERA

BEUTLER, Mr. HICE of Georgia, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. 

KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. PERRY, Mr. SHIMKUS, Ms. 

STEFANIK, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. TURNER, Mr. ZELDIN, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. 

CLARKE of New York, Mr. GIBBS, Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto 

Rico, Mr. BERA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. BRINDISI, Ms. FUDGE, 

Mr. SIRES, Mr. NADLER, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mrs. AXNE, Mr. 

DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. TONKO, Mr. LARSON

of Connecticut, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. PRICE of 

North Carolina, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 

LYNCH, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. 

KUSTOFF of Tennessee, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mrs. 

BEATTY, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. 

ADAMS, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. MORELLE, Ms. FRANKEL, Mr. 

JEFFRIES, Mr. CLYBURN, Ms. WATERS, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. 

PRESSLEY, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. CLAY, Mr. RUSH, Mr. 

CARSON of Indiana, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. RICHMOND, Ms. 


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•HR 1570 IH

BASS, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, and Mr. GREEN of Texas) 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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Removing Barriers to 

5 Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Colorectal cancer is the second leading 

9 cause of cancer death among men and women com10 bined in the United States. 

11 (2) In 2019, more than 145,600 Americans will 

12 be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and approxi13 mately 51,000 Americans will die from it. 

14 (3) Approximately 60 percent of colorectal can15 cer cases and 70 percent of deaths occur in those 

16 aged 65 and older. 


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•HR 1570 IH

1 (4) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy al2 lows for the detection and removal of polyps, or ab3 normal growths, that could become cancerous, as 

4 well as for the early detection of colorectal cancer 

5 when treatment can be most effective. 

6 (5) Although colorectal cancer is largely pre7 ventable, one in three adults over 50 years of age 

8 are not up to date with recommended colorectal can9 cer screening. 

10 (6) Over 1,700 organizations have committed to 

11 eliminating colorectal cancer as a major public 

12 health problem and are working toward the shared 

13 goal of reaching 80 percent screened for colorectal 

14 cancer in every community. 

15 (7) Colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy is a 

16 highly effective preventive service, and removing fi17 nancial barriers can help to increase screening rates. 

18 SEC. 3. WAIVING MEDICARE COINSURANCE FOR 

19 COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING TESTS. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1833(a)(1)(Y) of the So21 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(Y)) is amended 

22 by inserting ‘‘, including a colorectal cancer screening test 

23 (regardless of the code that is billed for the establishment 

24 of a diagnosis as a result of the test, or for the removal 

25 of tissue or other procedure that is furnished in connection 


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1 with, as a result of, and in the same clinical encounter 

2 as the screening test),’’ after ‘‘section 1861(ddd)(3)’’. 

3 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

4 this section shall apply to items and services furnished 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS