NATIONAL GRANGE NEWS

 

The National Grange today issued the following statement celebrating the passage of the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 842/S. 339) – landmark legislation that expands access to innovative cancer screening technologies for Medicare beneficiaries.

“This is exactly the kind of policy that has the power to change outcomes for rural America,” said Christine Hamp, President of the National Grange. “For far too many rural patients, cancer is detected later – not because it is more aggressive, but because access to screening is more limited. Distance, workforce shortages, and cost all create barriers that delay diagnosis and narrow treatment options.

The passage of the MCED Act is an important step toward changing that reality.

By expanding coverage for multi-cancer early detection technologies, this law helps bring lifesaving innovation closer to home. It strengthens the chance that rural patients will have cancer detected earlier – when treatment is more effective, and survival rates are higher. Geography should never determine whether someone has access to early detection, and this legislation moves us closer to that goal.”

“Cancer has touched nearly every rural family in some way. We see firsthand the emotional, physical, and economic toll it takes on communities where healthcare access is already fragile. That is why the National Grange has long advocated for policies to close screening gaps and improve early diagnosis, said Burton Eller, the National Grange's Legislative Director. “Multicancer early detection tests represent a promising advancement – using a simple blood test to screen for multiple cancers at once. Expanding Medicare coverage for these tools opens the door to earlier intervention and better outcomes, particularly in areas where traditional screening access may be limited.

We are proud to see this bipartisan effort become law and grateful to the policymakers, advocates, and partners who worked to make it possible. Progress in rural health happens when innovation, access, and public policy align – and today’s action reflects that alignment.

The National Grange will continue to advocate for solutions that ensure rural Americans have access to the care, technologies, and resources they need to live longer, healthier lives.

The passage of the MCED Act marks meaningful progress in addressing longstanding disparities in cancer detection. For many rural communities, routine screenings remain difficult to access. Expanding coverage for emerging early detection tools provides an additional pathway to diagnosis and treatment at earlier, more treatable stages.”

Learn more about the National Grange’s work to address cancer health disparities in rural communities here.