Federal government launches $9.7B hepatitis C cure program, free treatment for millions

What it does

This bill establishes a federal program to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States by creating a subscription-model drug procurement system, funding state and local screening/treatment initiatives, and removing cost-sharing barriers for Medicare beneficiaries. The federal government will negotiate bulk purchases of hepatitis C treatments with drug manufacturers and distribute them free to Medicaid/CHIP enrollees, uninsured individuals, incarcerated people, and those in Indian health programs; Medicare Part D beneficiaries will pay nothing for hepatitis C drugs from 2028–2032.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a federal disease-elimination initiative combining bulk drug procurement, state/local grants, and Medicare cost-sharing removal. It is primarily a public health measure, not a market intervention or subsidy to private entities.

What the text implies

• The subscription model excludes hepatitis C treatments from Medicaid best-price and average manufacturer price calculations (Section 4(6)), potentially insulating negotiated prices from downward pressure in other federal programs and limiting transparency of actual drug costs paid.
• The bill prohibits use of the 340B drug discount program for hepatitis C treatments obtained through the subscription program (Section 4(1)(B)), which may reduce savings available to safety-net providers and hospitals serving low-income populations.
• Correctional facilities must provide continued treatment post-release (Section 4(2)(B)(iv)), creating ongoing care obligations that may strain state budgets and community health systems if federal funding for post-release coordination is insufficient.
• The pilot program limiting Ryan White clinics to 25 eligible entities (Section 5(8)) may create geographic disparities in hepatitis C care access for people with HIV co-infection, the population with highest hepatitis C prevalence.
• Medicare cost-sharing elimination (Section 7) is time-limited to 2028–2032, creating a cliff that may disrupt treatment continuity and patient adherence after 2032 unless extended.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill removes financial barriers to a curative treatment for a serious infectious disease, benefiting millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans, incarcerated populations, and Medicare beneficiaries. The subscription model aims to reduce drug costs through bulk negotiation, and wraparound services (screening, case management, linkage to care) address structural barriers to treatment access.

Who stands to gain

• pharmaceutical manufacturers (direct acting antivirals)
• retail pharmacies (dispensing fees)
• diagnostic test vendors
• community health centers
• opioid treatment programs
• certified community behavioral health clinics

Named in the bill

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Indian Health Service (IHS), Bureau of Prisons, State Medicaid agencies, State CHIP programs, State and local correctional systems, Pharmaceutical manufacturers (direct acting antivirals), Retail pharmacies — and 2 more

Where it stands

6 cosponsors: 5 Democrats, 1 Republicans.

• Jul 14, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jul 14, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means and House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Natural…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.