Southeast Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is among the lawmakers introducing legislation aimed at expanding hepatitis C testing and treatment across the country.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can cause serious liver damage, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, but it can be cured with medication when it is diagnosed and treated.
The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2026 would establish a national Hepatitis C Elimination Program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The bill would create a federal program to purchase hepatitis C treatments through agreements with drug manufacturers and provide those treatments without cost-sharing to certain covered populations. That would include eligible people without health insurance, some Medicaid and CHIP recipients in participating states, people receiving care through Indian Health Service programs, and certain current and recently released inmates.
The legislation would also provide grants to states, community health centers, tribal health programs, opioid treatment programs and correctional facilities to expand hepatitis C screening, diagnosis and treatment.
For Medicare Part D recipients, the bill would eliminate deductibles and other cost-sharing for hepatitis C antiviral medications beginning in 2028, although implementation could be delayed until 2029 if the federal government determines it is not feasible to begin in 2028.
The bill would provide billions of dollars in federal funding for the programs, including five-point-five billion dollars for the hepatitis C treatment subscription program and more than four-point-two billion dollars for public health activities, testing, outreach and related efforts.
The legislation has bipartisan support in Congress and has been introduced in the House. A companion bill has also been introduced in the Senate.
The bill would still need to move through Congress and be signed into law before any of its provisions could take effect. Read the proposed bill in its entirety here.