Mobile Cancer Screening Act

This bill would create a grant program at the Department of Health and Human Services to fund new mobile cancer screening units. The goal is to bring screening services closer to people in rural and underserved areas. Grants could pay for a vehicle, imaging equipment, digital tools, and other startup or operating needs. Each award could be up to $2 million, and grantees must chip in $1 for every $3 in federal funds. Priority would go to programs that can save the most lives, serve underserved populations (including areas served by the Indian Health Service), and arrange follow-up care within a 90‑minute drive.

Hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, academic health centers, health systems, and collaborations of these groups could apply. The bill also requires a report to Congress within four years on how many people were screened and the program’s impact. It authorizes $15 million per year for 2027–2031 to carry this out.

• Who is affected: Patients in rural and underserved communities; hospitals, health centers, and health systems that run mobile units.
• What changes: New federal grants for mobile cancer screening vans, equipment, and tools; up to $2 million per award; 1:3 non-federal match; priority to high-impact, underserved areas with quick follow-up care.
• When: Program funding is authorized for fiscal years 2027–2031; a report is due within four years of becoming law.

Why this matters: Many cancers, like lung cancer, are often found late, and screening rates are low in some groups. Mobile units can help catch cancer earlier by bringing care to where people live.