More than half the House of Representatives has signed onto a bill that would scrap the waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare for people with metastatic breast cancer. Yet the legislation remains stuck in the Ways and Means Committee, drawing frustration from advocates and patients who say Congress is ignoring a fix that would save lives.
The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), has 259 co-sponsors from both parties. It would eliminate the current five-month wait for disability benefits and the additional 24-month delay before Medicare kicks in for patients under 65. For those diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer—where the average life expectancy is about three years—those delays can mean dying before receiving benefits they paid into through payroll taxes.
Fran Visco, president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and a 30-year survivor now living with metastatic disease, wrote in a recent op-ed that the situation is “cruel and arbitrary.” She noted that while she has excellent health coverage, many patients are forced to make impossible choices between treatment and basic needs. “I cannot imagine having to worry about all of that in addition to the constant demands of this disease,” Visco wrote.
The bill has not moved past committee despite broad support. Critics point to the cost, but advocates argue that Congress has found billions for other priorities—including military operations in the Middle East and immigration enforcement—and can afford to help a vulnerable population. “Surely our representatives can find the funds necessary to help women and men with metastatic breast cancer live longer and better,” Visco wrote.
The legislation is backed by major cancer advocacy groups and has been introduced in previous sessions without success. Supporters are now pushing for a markup in the House Ways and Means Committee as the next step toward passage this year. “Enough lip service,” Visco said. “Pass the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act.”
The bill's fate may also hinge on broader political dynamics. With fractures in the House GOP over must-pass legislation, and other contentious issues like ethics questions around crypto bills dominating headlines, the breast cancer bill could be a rare area of bipartisan agreement—if it gets a vote.
Visco, who received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2025, urged lawmakers to act quickly. “Congress, it’s time to act—beginning with a markup in the House Ways and Means Committee,” she said.
