S. 4566 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, May 19, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRemoves barriers to lung cancer screening
This bill makes it easier for people to get lung cancer screenings by removing a common delay called prior authorization, which is when insurance companies require doctors to get approval before a test. The bill covers these screenings under Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance for people who meet expert guidelines. It also expands Medicaid to cover counseling and medications that help people quit tobacco, vaping, and e-cigarettes for anyone who wants to quit, not just pregnant women.
How it affects you
If you have Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance and your doctor recommends a lung cancer screening, you'll be able to get it faster without insurance companies delaying approval. People trying to quit smoking or vaping through Medicaid will have better access to counseling and medications to help them. The government will also work to spread the word about who should get screened and why it matters.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, May 19, 2026)
Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act
This bill provides for coverage without prior authorization requirements of annual lung cancer screenings under Medicaid, Medicare, and private health insurance for individuals for whom screenings are recommended under U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines (as of March 9, 2021).
It also expands Medicaid coverage of counseling and pharmacotherapy for cessation of tobacco use to include such services for (1) all individuals, rather than only pregnant women; and (2) the use of vapes and e-cigarettes.
The Department of Health and Human Services must conduct outreach on the importance of lung cancer screenings and who should be screened, and the Government Accountability Office must report on the demographics of those diagnosed with lung cancer and recommend ways the federal government can improve screenings.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4566
A BILL
Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act
Sponsor: Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) · Introduced May 19, 2026 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action May 19, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S2377-2379)”
Sections
Sections · 6
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2Medicaid coverage of annual lung cancer screening with no cost sharing for certain individualsNo change
- Sec. 3Expanding coverage under Medicaid of counseling and pharmacotherapy for cessation of tobacco use to all Medicaid individualsNo change
- Sec. 4Coverage under Medicare and private health insurance of annual lung cancer screening without utilization management requirementsNo change
- Sec. 5Lung cancer screening education and outreachNo change
- Sec. 6ReportNo change