Roger Royse, Patient Advocate and partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP | Official website
Roger Royse, Patient Advocate and partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP | Official website
Congressman Brett Guthrie and Congressman Morgan Griffith have announced a legislative hearing to discuss improving seniors' access to innovative medical care. The hearing, titled "Examining Policies to Enhance Seniors’ Access to Breakthrough Medical Technologies," will be held by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health.
The focus of the hearing is on policies that could expand Medicare coverage for multi-cancer early detection tests, improve transparency in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) coverage process, and reduce bureaucratic barriers. Guthrie and Griffith said, "More than 68 million Americans rely on Medicare for life-saving treatments and critical care. Unfortunately, outdated coverage policies and bureaucratic hurdles can delay or leave seniors without access to the most innovative and effective treatments and services."
Scheduled for September 18, 2025, at 9:30 AM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building, the hearing will cover several bills. These include H.R. 842, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act introduced by Rep. Arrington; a bill ensuring patient access to critical breakthrough products; another amending title XVIII of the Social Security Act for transparency in Medicare determinations; and H.R. 3826, Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2025 by Rep. Schrier.
Roger Royse, a cancer survivor who benefited from early detection through an MCED blood test in 2022, will testify about his experience. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer without symptoms due to an MCED test, Royse's early treatment was successful. He contrasts this with his brother's late-stage lymphoma diagnosis after delayed screening, which led to his brother's death nine months later.
Royse points out that pancreatic cancer has a low five-year survival rate because it is often detected late. While modern MCED tests are non-invasive, they remain costly at around $1,000 without insurance coverage. He urges Congress to pass legislation making these tests accessible under Medicare.
The hearing is open to the public and will be livestreamed at energycommerce.house.gov.
For inquiries about the hearing or press-related questions, contact Annabelle Huffman or Katie West via their provided email addresses.
Information from this article can be found here.
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