Medicare to cover PFAS blood tests free for seniors starting 2028
H.R. 5571 — Expanding Seniors’ Access to PFAS Testing Act · Filed by Debbie Dingell (D-MI) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 26, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends Medicare to cover PFAS blood tests for seniors at no cost starting January 1, 2028. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are industrial chemicals linked to health risks; the bill requires Medicare to pay 100% of the cost of physician-ordered PFAS tests, treating them as preventive services under the same fee schedule as other screening tests.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is adding a specific health screening test to Medicare's covered preventive services with full cost coverage. It is a straightforward expansion of an existing benefit category.
What the text implies
- The January 1, 2028 effective date creates a 3-year delay before coverage begins, potentially allowing time for clinical evidence to accumulate or for regulatory guidance on PFAS testing standards to develop.
- The bill ties PFAS test reimbursement to the existing fee schedule for 'screening and preventive services' (Section 1861(ww)(2)), meaning Medicare's payment rate will follow whatever rates are established for comparable preventive tests—this avoids setting a new rate but leaves actual cost exposure dependent on how CMS prices the test.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Clinical laboratories offering PFAS blood testing; Diagnostic testing companies; Healthcare providers billing for PFAS screening