S 1929119th CongressIn Committee

SEPSIS Act

Introduced: Jun 3, 2025

Healthcare

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The SEPSIS Act would create a federal program to reduce sepsis rates by expanding the U.S. public health system’s focus on education, data, and quality measurement related to sepsis. Specifically, it establishes a CDC-led Sepsis Programs group (as Sec. 317W of the Public Health Service Act) to promote hospital best practices (including CDC’s Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements), improve pediatric sepsis data, inform sepsis quality measures used by CMS, and coordinate across HHS to develop sepsis outcome measures. The bill also requires a report within one year on developing these outcome measures, annual congressional briefings on sepsis activities, and a voluntary “Honor Roll” program recognizing hospitals with strong or improving sepsis programs. It authorizes $20 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030 to carry out these activities. The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Chuck Schumer (with Sen. Collins and Sen. Kim) and was introduced in the 119th Congress.

Key Points

1Establishes a CDC-led Sepsis Programs unit (Section 317W) to:
2- Lead education on hospital sepsis best practices (including CDC’s Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements).
3- Improve data collection on pediatric sepsis.
4- Share information with CMS to help shape sepsis quality measures.
5- Update interoperability data elements related to sepsis (in coordination with health IT and data offices).
6- Support efforts across HHS to develop sepsis outcome measures and perform related activities.
7Requires a report within 1 year on development and implementation of adult and pediatric sepsis outcome measures, considering social and clinical factors that influence sepsis risk.
8Mandates an annual briefing starting one year after enactment (and annually thereafter) to Congress on:
9- Hospital adoption of sepsis best practices.
10- Pediatric sepsis rates and reduction efforts.
11- Coordination of sepsis work across HHS.
12- Evaluation of the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements’ impact on care quality (with AHRQ).
13- Data sharing from the National Healthcare Safety Network and latest sepsis datasets.
14Establishes a voluntary Honor Roll Program recognizing hospitals that maintain or improve effective sepsis programs, with publicly available selection benchmarks.
15Authorizes $20 million per fiscal year (FY2026–FY2030) to fund the Sepsis Programs activities.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Hospitals and health systems implementing sepsis programs, and the patients they serve (both adult and pediatric), through improved early detection, treatment, and outcome measurement.Secondary group/area affected:- Federal and state health authorities, especially the CDC, CMS (quality measures), AHRQ, and health IT/data interoperability offices, which would coordinate data standards and reporting.Additional impacts:- Potential reductions in sepsis incidence, mortality, and hospital readmissions through standardized practices and better data.- Possible reporting and administrative burden on hospitals to participate in data sharing and adopt recommended sepsis practices; offset by potential quality incentives and recognition via the Honor Roll.- Strengthening of the infection prevention workforce and research emphasis on sepsis, including pediatric-focused work.The bill emphasizes use of CDC’s established sepsis core elements and Rory’s Regulations (New York State sepsis protocols) as models for improving outcomes.This is a proposal introduced in the Senate and not yet law; funding and implementation would depend on the legislative process and appropriations.

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