GOV-Arkansas-Knapple-HeadshotThis week, the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC) urged Senator Ben Cardin and Representative Richard Neal to include the SCREEN Act (S. 1079, HR 2035) in any year-end legislative package. The SCREEN Act would keep colonoscopy reimbursement at CY 2015 levels until the new Medicare reimbursement system begins in 2019. The bill also waives Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing for colorectal cancer screening in two scenarios: when a screening colonoscopy turns therapeutic, as well as for the necessary diagnostic colonoscopy subsequent to another colorectal cancer screening test covered by Medicare.

DDNCThe DDNC is a national coalition of 50+ patient, professional, and industry members from a broad spectrum of GI diseases. ACG thanks the DDNC for their support and efforts to increase colorectal cancer utilization rates.

Why should your legislators support the SCREEN Act?

The SCREEN Act is the only bill currently in Congress addressing these forthcoming cuts. Call your Members of Congress and urge them to pass the SCREEN Act (S.1079/H.R.2035) this year.

Connect to your Member of Congress via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard by calling 202-224-3121.

Or send this previously prepared email to your Senators and Representative via the ACG website.

How can I get my colleagues and patients involved?

You can take action at the local and national level to express your frustration and to oppose these cuts.

Sign ACG’s Medicare Colonoscopy petition, and urge your colleagues and patients to sign it as well.

Please note that these numbers reflect the totals of both the online signatures and paper petitions submitted to the ACG office. How active is your state compared to others? Take it upon yourselves to drive up your state’s numbers!

Get your practice and state GI society involved. Urge them to contact the congressional delegation to help stop these cuts. Here is a strategic “playbook” for GI physicians from the ACG: Access the “Playbook”

Learn more
Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman Richard Neal Introduce SCREEN Act

New Demonstration Project Links Colorectal Cancer Screening to Discussion and Testing for Hepatitis C

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Medicare Beneficiaries Gain Access to Hepatitis C Info & Screening Under SCREEN Act

Contact
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA)

Whitfield Knapple, MD, FACG
Chair, ACG National Affairs Committee