S. 1941 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jun 4, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryFree hepatitis C treatment for vulnerable populations
The government would make hepatitis C medications free for people in certain situations—those on Medicaid or CHIP, people without insurance, those in prisons or jails, and people getting care through the Indian Health Service. The bill would also provide grants to help states, health organizations, and facilities test for hepatitis C and support people getting treatment. Starting in 2027, Medicare patients could also get hepatitis C drugs without paying out of pocket for five years.
How it affects you
If you're uninsured, incarcerated, on Medicaid, or receiving care through the Indian Health Service and have hepatitis C, you'd be able to get treatment medication at no cost. If you have Medicare and get hepatitis C in the coming years, you'd have access to free drugs from 2027 through 2031. The bill doesn't directly affect most other people, though it does expand hepatitis C screening and treatment support in communities.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jun 4, 2025)
Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025
This bill establishes programs and requirements to provide free medications to treat hepatitis C in certain high-risk or vulnerable populations. It also establishes grants and other resources to support testing and treatment for hepatitis C. The bill provides funding for FY2025 to implement these provisions.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must enter into a five-year purchasing contract with manufacturers of drugs that treat hepatitis C so that eligible individuals may receive the drugs without cost-sharing. Eligible individuals are those diagnosed with hepatitis C who are (1) enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), (2) confined to federal, state, or local correctional facilities (or were released and began treatment there), (3) uninsured, or (4) receiving health care through the Indian Health Service.
Eligibility is limited to those with specified legal immigration statuses. State Medicaid and CHIP programs and state and local correctional facilities may opt into the program; participation is mandatory for federal correctional facilities and the Indian Health Service.
HHS must award grants to certain entities, including states, public health organizations, and correctional facilities, to support the coordination and provision of screening, treatment, and supportive services for the affected populations.
The bill also allows Medicare beneficiaries to receive hepatitis C drugs without cost-sharing from 2027-2031.
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.
1st SessionS. 1941
A BILL
Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) · Introduced Jun 4, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 4, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.”
Sections
Sections · 10
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 3Hepatitis C Elimination ProgramNo change
- Sec. 4Provision of Hepatitis C treatments to certain populationsNo change
- Sec. 5Public health activities to support hepatitis c eliminationNo change
- Sec. 6FundingNo change
- Sec. 7Increasing access to treatments for hepatitis C in the Medicare programNo change
- Sec. 8Other mattersNo change
- Sec. 9Rulemaking authorityNo change
- Sec. 10Use of fundsNo change