S 1941119th CongressIntroduced

Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025

Introduced: Jun 4, 2025

HealthcareSocial Services

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025 aims to dramatically expand and speed up hepatitis C elimination in the United States through a comprehensive federal program. It creates the Hepatitis C Elimination Program to coordinate federal activities, develop a national strategy, monitor progress via a public dashboard, and fund a broad set of public health and care-enhancement activities. A centerpiece is a five-year “subscription” purchasing program in which the Secretary of Health and Human Services contracts with drug manufacturers to provide hepatitis C treatments (direct-acting antivirals, DAAs) at no cost to a defined covered population, with distribution to registered providers and correctional systems. The bill also increases Medicare and Medicaid-related access to hepatitis C therapies by phasing out consumer cost-sharing for DAAs (2027–2031) and adds related funding for state programs, correctional facilities, Indian health programs, and Ryan White clinics. Overall, the bill seeks to remove financial barriers, expand screening, diagnosis, and treatment, and ensure continuity of care for people at elevated risk or with prior treatment needs.

Key Points

1Establishment and planning
2- Creates the Hepatitis C Elimination Program, with a national strategy and implementation plan within 180 days of enactment, plus an advisory committee and an interagency working group to guide and coordinate federal actions.
3- Requires a public dashboard to track progress against defined goals and metrics; requires annual reports to Congress through 2032.
4Subscription drug purchasing program (core mechanism)
5- The Secretary must negotiate a subscription-style agreement with one or more manufacturers to supply hepatitis C DAAs for the covered population for a 5-year term, with annual payments and no limit on units required.
6- Distribution planned to registered pharmacies, registered sites of dispensing, participating state/local correctional systems, the Bureau of Prisons, and Indian Health Service facilities; individuals served under the program receive treatment with no cost-sharing.
7- Prohibits use of other federal discount programs (like 340B) for DAAs obtained through the program, with enforcement through audits and data sharing; covered entities may still buy DAAs under 340B if they comply with program rules.
8Covered populations and participation
9- Covered population includes: diagnosed hepatitis C patients enrolled in participating Medicaid/CHIP programs; individuals in participating correctional facilities or released with ongoing treatment needs; prisoners in Bureau of Prisons facilities; individuals without minimum essential coverage; and individuals receiving care through Indian health programs.
10- States and correctional systems must opt in, commit to five-year participation, waive prior authorization for screening/treatment obtained via the program, and ensure continuity of care for inmates on release.
11Funding and allocation
12- Sec 4 provides $5.5 billion (fiscal years 2025–2031) for the subscription program.
13- Sec 6 provides about $4.283 billion (fiscal years 2025–2031) for the broader program and related activities, including a $25 million set-aside for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
14- Administrative cap: up to 5% of the program funds may be used for administration.
15Public health activities and support
16- Funds grants to states and sub-state entities to improve outreach, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and wraparound services for high-risk or otherwise eligible individuals.
17- Supports special programs: opioid treatment programs, tribal health programs, community health centers, correctional health services, and Ryan White clinics to expand testing, linkage to care, and treatment.
18- Includes a national provider training network and a public awareness/education campaign tailored to priority populations.
19Medicare and Medicaid cost-sharing changes
20- Medicare Part D: eliminates cost-sharing for DAAs for hepatitis C for plan years 2027–2031, with a possible delay to 2028 if implementation is not feasible.
21- Medicaid: adds no deductible and no cost-sharing for DAAs for 2027–2031, with a possible delay to 2028 if deemed not feasible.
22- These adjustments are designed to remove patient out-of-pocket barriers to treatment.
23Governance and oversight
24- Advisory and interagency groups include a broad set of stakeholders: clinicians, patients with lived experience, public health officials, pharmacists, manufacturers, insurers, and other program participants.
25- Regular reporting to Congress and ongoing coordination with federal agencies to align with existing hepatitis C prevention and treatment efforts.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- People diagnosed with hepatitis C, especially those in the covered populations (Medicaid/CHIP enrollees, incarcerated individuals or those released, uninsured, and Indian health program users).- Correctional systems and facilities (federal and state/local) as key access points for testing and treatment.Secondary group/area affected- Healthcare providers, pharmacists, and dispensing sites (registered under the program) who must participate in distribution, data reporting, and adherence to program rules.- Drug manufacturers and distributors (subject to the subscription contracts and pricing rules).Additional impacts- Medicaid and Medicare pricing dynamics through the exclusion of the subscription program from best-price and average manufacturer price calculations; potential effects on pharmaceutical pricing and payer negotiations.- Public health capacity: expansion of screening, diagnostic testing (including point-of-care testing), case management, and care coordination; enhancement of capacity in health centers, tribal facilities, and Ryan White–funded clinics.- Public awareness and education, data transparency via the hepatitis C dashboard, and cross-agency coordination with existing DHHS programs and other federal departments.Direct acting antivirals (DAAs): highly effective medications that cure hepatitis C with a short course of treatment.Subscription program: a model where the government pays a fixed amount each year to drug manufacturers to secure a guaranteed supply of medications for a defined population, similar in concept to a software or streaming service, but for medicines.Best price/AMP: pricing benchmarks used by federal programs to ensure discounts; the bill prevents the subscription program from affecting those calculations to avoid altering drug price incentives outside the program.Ryan White clinics: healthcare facilities funded under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, repurposed here to support hepatitis C care delivery and related services.

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