Mobile Cancer Screening Act
This bill, titled the Mobile Cancer Screening Act, would amend the Public Health Service Act to create a new program (Subpart XIII) that the Secretary of Health and Human Services would administer through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Its core goal is to fund new mobile cancer screening units to expand access to essential cancer screening services in rural and underserved communities. Eligible entities—such as nonprofit hospitals, Federally-qualified health centers, academic health centers, health systems, or collaborations among these—could receive grants or contracts to purchase and operate mobile screening units, including vehicles, imaging technology, and related digital tools, along with other startup or operating costs. The bill specifies a maximum award of $2 million and requires a 25% non-federal cost-share. It also establishes funding priorities (e.g., impact on mortality and screening gaps, rural/Indian Health Service areas, and capacity to provide follow-up care within 90 minutes). The act would authorize $15 million per year for 2027–2031 and require a congressional report within four years detailing reach, outcomes, and recommendations. The findings emphasize the burden of cancer and the underutilization of screening, particularly for lung cancer, and argue that mobile units have proven effective in improving access and early detection.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and scope
- 2- Creates a new Subpart XIII under Part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act to support the creation and operation of mobile cancer screening units in rural and underserved communities.
- 3Eligible entities
- 4- Grants/contracts could go to nonprofit hospitals, Federally-qualified health centers, academic health centers, health systems, or coalitions of two or more of these entities.
- 5Use of funds and cap
- 6- Award funds may be used for purchasing a mobile screening vehicle, imaging technology, digital tools, and other essential startup or operational costs.
- 7- Individual awards may not exceed $2 million.
- 8Prioritization criteria
- 9- Awards prioritized for: (a) greatest potential impact on patient mortality and gaps in high-risk screening, (b) serving underserved populations (including rural areas and areas served by the Indian Health Service), and (c) ensuring comprehensive follow-up care for abnormal findings within 90 minutes via ground transport.
- 10Cost-sharing (matching funds)
- 11- Recipients must provide non-federal funds equal to at least 1 dollar for every 3 dollars provided by the award (i.e., about 25% non-federal match).
- 12Reporting to Congress
- 13- Within four years of enactment, the Secretary must report to specified House and Senate committees with data on patients screened (disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, sex, geography, disability, etc.), program impact on screening and outcomes, recommendations, and other relevant information.
- 14Funding authorization
- 15- Authorizes $15 million per fiscal year for 2027 through 2031 to carry out this section (note: this is authorization, not an automatic appropriation; actual funds would require separate appropriation).