ICARE Newsletter Spring 2022 

 Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act of 2021 

On February 16th, 2022, the Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act (S.3656) was introduced to the U.S. Senate with the goal of ensuring Medicare beneficiaries have coverage for potentially life-saving inherited cancer genetic counseling and testing as well as recommended screening and risk-reducing procedures, when medically necessary and appropriate. Currently, Medicare only covers genetic testing for beneficiaries already diagnosed with cancer, regardless of whether there is cancer or a known genetic mutation in the family. Therefore, if someone without cancer is found to have an inherited mutation that increases cancer risk (e.g., BRCA1/2), Medicare may not cover the recommended cancer screenings and/or risk-reducing surgeries. Help ensure these life-saving services are accessible to Medicare patients by emailing members of Congress to ask them to support this important bill at https://tinyurl.com/RHCACQ. For more information about this bill, please visit https://tinyurl.com/BillS3656 and https://tinyurl.com/FORCERHCA.