Sponsors (11)
The bill improves cancer screening quality, access, and data collection for DoD firefighters—boosting early detection and knowledge about occupational cancer risks—but increases costs, raises privacy and overdiagnosis concerns, and is largely titular for civilian firefighters without directly changing funding or rights.
DoD firefighters (military firefighters) will receive free, regular cancer screenings (mammograms, colon exams/tests, PSA), improving early detection and treatment.
Female DoD firefighters will get age-based mammogram schedules and a radiologist comparison review, increasing diagnostic accuracy for breast cancer.
DoD will collect and share (de-identified) cancer screening data with the CDC, improving understanding of firefighter cancer risks and informing prevention policies.
Expanded screening for DoD firefighters increases DoD medical costs and administrative burden, which is borne by taxpayers and the federal budget.
Male DoD firefighters face the risk that annual PSA screening will cause overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments for some men despite receiving risk/benefit information.
Collecting and sharing medical screening data creates privacy risks and potential breaches even with de-identification requirements, affecting service members' medical privacy.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DoD to provide no-cost cancer screening, testing, counseling, and related data collection to DoD firefighters during periodic health assessments.
Introduced April 17, 2025 by Donald J. Bacon · Last progress April 17, 2025
Requires the Department of Defense to provide no-cost cancer screening, testing, and related communications to Department of Defense firefighters as part of their annual periodic health assessment (or other indicated intervals). Tests and services include age-based mammograms and radiologist comparison review for female firefighters, stool- and visual-based colon cancer screening guidance starting in the 40s, annual PSA testing and risk/benefit counseling for male firefighters and high-risk individuals, and routine screening for other cancers the CDC identifies as higher risk for firefighters. The law allows firefighters to opt out, directs DoD to follow consensus technical standards, and requires DoD to document testing uptake and results, de-identify personal data for analysis, and may share data with the CDC.