H.R. 9946 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Veterans' Affairs, Armed Services, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, Jul 23, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryFree STI testing across major health programs
This bill makes sure that testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is available without any out-of-pocket costs to patients across several federal health programs: Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP (for children and families), TRICARE (for military families), Veterans Affairs health benefits, and the Indian Health Service.
How it affects you
If you're enrolled in any of these health programs—whether you're a veteran, a military family member, a low-income parent, a child on CHIP, or a member of a federally recognized tribe—you'd be able to get STI testing without paying a copay or deductible. This removes a financial barrier that might otherwise keep people from getting tested.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jul 23, 2026)
Equity in STI Testing Act
This bill provides for coverage, without cost-sharing, of testing for certain sexually transmitted infections under Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), TRICARE, Department of Veterans Affairs health benefits, and the Indian Health Service.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 9946
A BILL
Equity in STI Testing Act
Sponsor: Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5) · Introduced Jul 23, 2026 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 30, 2026: “Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.”