Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act
Sponsored By: Senator Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced
Summary
Guarantees annual lung cancer screening without prior authorization across Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. It would also expand Medicaid tobacco cessation coverage, fund a national outreach campaign, and require a federal study to identify screening gaps.
Show full summary
- Would require Medicaid to cover annual lung cancer screening recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force without prior authorization or cost sharing. Coverage must apply in fee-for-service and managed care, and takes effect for services on or after January 1, 2028.
- Would bar prior authorization for annual lung cancer screening in Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage plans. Group and individual private plans would also be prohibited from requiring prior authorization for recommended annual screening for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2028.
- Would broaden Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation counseling and approved medications to all enrollees, including people who use e-cigarettes, and require managed care contracts to remove prior authorization. It would authorize $10 million per year for 2028 through 2032 for education and outreach and require a Comptroller General study within one year to identify under-screened groups such as veterans, firefighters, and younger women.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Free yearly lung screening for Medicaid
If enacted, you would get one lung cancer screening a year covered by Medicaid with no out-of-pocket cost. This would apply when the screening is recommended under U.S. Preventive Services Task Force rules, so long as federal guidance does not narrow coverage versus the USPSTF guidance from March 9, 2021. Medicaid managed care plans would have to provide the screening without prior authorization. These changes would apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2028, though states that need new state law to comply would get a limited grace period.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov