Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) introduced the Preventative Care Awareness Act, a bill aimed at encouraging Americans to get screened for cancer and other preventable diseases. The bill aligns with President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Screenings for cancer and other preventable diseases decreased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than one in three adults reported delaying or forgoing health care because of coronavirus-related concerns, millions of cancer screening and diagnostic tests were canceled, and the odds that a person received a breast cancer screening were 20 percent lower in 2020 compared to 2019. These trends are especially concerning for underserved communities which already have lower survival rates for both cancer and COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in Americans’ access to preventative health care screenings, examinations, and appointments. At a time when our personal and public health are top priorities, it’s essential for Americans to get back to regular, routine screenings for cancer and other preventable diseases, ” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative is working with communities across the country to ensure equitable access to the health care screenings. That’s why I am pleased to introduce the Preventative Care Awareness Act today alongside Reps. Fitzpatrick and Wasserman Schultz – so that Congress can build on President Biden’s Initiative and provide additional resources to promote preventative health care screenings and services to all Americans.” 

“When the pandemic began in 2020, we saw the sharpest decline in cancer screening rates,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Now more than ever, we must ensure all Americans have the opportunity and resources they need to get screened. I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce this timely and critical piece of legislation.” 

“Early detection saves lives, and preventive care is one of the best tools in the fight against cancer. The pandemic highlighted gaps in preventive care and exacerbated the lack of access, especially in the communities that need it most,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “I am proud to introduce legislation to address these gaps by providing our healthcare system with additional tools and education to enhance access to preventive care. We must think proactively about future emergencies to prevent these health disparities from happening again.”

The Preventive Care Awareness Act aims to help implement President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot program and encourage people to get other health care screenings by: 

• Creating a $50 million grant program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote preventive care services, with a focus on care that patients have delayed or forgone due to coronavirus-related concerns; 
• Directing the Department of Health and Human Services to undertake a coordinated, focused public health education campaign to enhance access to preventive services, in consultation with the CDC, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, and CMS; and 
• Establishing a task force to develop recommendations to increase use of preventive health services and to address disparities in preventive care service use, including recommendations on how to best provide preventive health care services when hospital capacity becomes limited or strained due to a public health emergency. 

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