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PALS Act

USA116th CongressS-1936| Senate 
| Updated: 6/20/2019
Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Senator

Tennessee

Cosponsors (15)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Martha McSally (Republican)Kyrsten Sinema (Independent)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Deb Fischer (Republican)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Rob Portman (Republican)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Finance Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act of 2019 or the PALS Act This bill makes a series of changes relating to health insurance coverage of screening mammography. Specifically, the bill requires that any provision of law referring to current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) with respect to breast cancer screening mammography be administered as if (1) the provision referred to USPSTF recommendations last issued before 2009; and (2) those recommendations applied to any screening mammography modality, including any digital modality of such a procedure. This requirement shall also apply to the Veterans Health Administration's policy on mammography screening for veterans. In addition, the bill preserves Medicare coverage for screening mammography, without a requirement for coinsurance, and expands the definition of screening mammography to include any digital modality of such a procedure. Further, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may not decrease the frequency with which screening mammography may be paid by Medicare for a woman over 39 years of age. In 2009, the USPSTF updated its guidelines to recommend against routine screening mammography for women between 40 to 49 years of age and to recommend biennial, instead of annual, screening mammography for most women between 50 to 74 years of age. In 2015, through the appropriations process, a three-year moratorium was placed on implementing the guidelines; the moratorium was subsequently renewed until January 1, 2020.
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Timeline
Jun 11, 2019

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 116-2777
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 20, 2019
Introduced in Senate
Jun 20, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • June 11, 2019

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 116-2777
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.


  • June 20, 2019
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 20, 2019
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 116-2777: PALS Act
CancerMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMedicareVeterans' medical careWomen's health

PALS Act

USA116th CongressS-1936| Senate 
| Updated: 6/20/2019
Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act of 2019 or the PALS Act This bill makes a series of changes relating to health insurance coverage of screening mammography. Specifically, the bill requires that any provision of law referring to current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) with respect to breast cancer screening mammography be administered as if (1) the provision referred to USPSTF recommendations last issued before 2009; and (2) those recommendations applied to any screening mammography modality, including any digital modality of such a procedure. This requirement shall also apply to the Veterans Health Administration's policy on mammography screening for veterans. In addition, the bill preserves Medicare coverage for screening mammography, without a requirement for coinsurance, and expands the definition of screening mammography to include any digital modality of such a procedure. Further, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may not decrease the frequency with which screening mammography may be paid by Medicare for a woman over 39 years of age. In 2009, the USPSTF updated its guidelines to recommend against routine screening mammography for women between 40 to 49 years of age and to recommend biennial, instead of annual, screening mammography for most women between 50 to 74 years of age. In 2015, through the appropriations process, a three-year moratorium was placed on implementing the guidelines; the moratorium was subsequently renewed until January 1, 2020.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 11, 2019

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 116-2777
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 20, 2019
Introduced in Senate
Jun 20, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • June 11, 2019

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 116-2777
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.


  • June 20, 2019
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 20, 2019
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Senator

Tennessee

Cosponsors (15)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Martha McSally (Republican)Kyrsten Sinema (Independent)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Deb Fischer (Republican)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Rob Portman (Republican)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Finance Committee

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 116-2777: PALS Act
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
CancerMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMedicareVeterans' medical careWomen's health