Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Bill Cassidy
Introduced
Summary
Eliminate Hepatitis C in high‑risk and underserved groups by creating a federal treatment purchase program and national elimination strategy. This bill would fund a national Hepatitis C Elimination Program, buy drugs through a subscription model, expand testing and treatment access, and remove Medicare cost sharing for hepatitis C drugs in later years.
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- Patients and families: Would expand screening, diagnosis, and treatment access for defined covered populations including Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, people without minimum essential coverage, Indian Health Service patients, and people in custody. The subscription program forbids prior authorization for screening and treatment and requires continuation of treatment after release from incarceration.
- Correctional systems, clinics, and community providers: Would let States and local systems opt in under five‑year participation terms, require registered pharmacies and dispensing sites to join, and fund wraparound services and technical assistance. A Ryan White pilot for hepatitis C would be limited to 25 eligible entities.
- Federal programs and budget rules: Appropriates $5.5 billion for fiscal year 2025, available through 2031, and directs a $25 million Bureau of Prisons transfer. Medicare Part D would drop cost sharing and deductibles for direct‑acting antivirals in plan years 2027 through 2031, with a possible one‑year delay. The bill also bars using other federal drug discount programs like 340B for subscription purchases and requires data, audits, and public progress reporting.
*This bill would increase federal spending by at least $5.5 billion and raise additional federal outlays from Medicare Part D cost‑sharing elimination across 2027–2031.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Free hepatitis C drugs for eligible people
If enacted, HHS would run a subscription program to buy hepatitis C drugs under multi‑year deals. The Secretary would name the covered groups and estimate their size within 180 days. People in the covered group would get those drugs with no cost‑sharing. Prisons and Indian Health Service sites must take part; States would need to opt in and agree not to require prior authorization. The program would also exclude subscription prices from certain Medicaid price calculations.
No Medicare copays for Hepatitis C
If enacted, for Medicare Part D plan years 2027 through 2031 there would be no deductible, coinsurance, or other cost‑sharing for direct‑acting antiviral drugs to treat hepatitis C. The Secretary could delay start to 2028 if implementing in 2027 is not feasible. The change would also apply to beneficiaries who get the low‑income subsidy.
Bill provides billions for Hep C
If enacted, the bill would appropriate about $4.3 billion for program operations and grants and $5.5 billion for the subscription drug purchases in fiscal year 2025. Those funds would remain available through fiscal year 2031. The Secretary must transfer $25 million of the first amount to the Bureau of Prisons. No more than 5 percent of money for sections 3 and 5 could be used for administration. The appropriations would also be subject to Division D rules in Public Law 118‑47.
Limits on funded care for noncitizens
If enacted, the Act's appropriated funds could only be used to serve U.S. citizens and certain listed noncitizen groups (for example, lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, some parolees, certain special immigrants, and other enumerated categories). HHS could add more eligible groups by notice‑and‑comment rulemaking. If you are not in a listed category, the Act's appropriated money could not be used to serve you.
Grants to expand Hepatitis C testing
If enacted, HHS would make grants and contracts to States, clinics, tribal programs, opioid treatment centers, correctional health providers, and others to expand Hepatitis C screening, diagnosis, treatment, care coordination, and wraparound services. Awards can support continued care after release from jail. Up to $20 million may be used for developing point‑of‑care diagnostic tests.
New national Hepatitis C program
If enacted, HHS would set up a Hepatitis C Elimination Program within 90 days and publish a national strategy and implementation plan within 180 days. The plan would name priority groups, list goals and performance metrics, and HHS would keep a public dashboard and report to Congress annually through September 30, 2032. An advisory committee and interagency working group would guide the program.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bill Cassidy
LA • R
Cosponsors
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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