H.R. 10476: Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026

This bill would change federal health coverage rules and add new federal grant funding related to glaucoma.

Health insurance coverage

The bill would require several types of health coverage to pay for annual glaucoma screenings for certain people at higher risk, starting in 2027. The screenings would have to be covered without cost sharing in some cases.

• Private health plans would have to cover glaucoma screening for:
  • people age 40 or older who identify as having African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry and have certain risk factors, or
  • people age 40 or older with specific glaucoma risk factors such as diabetes, family history, elevated eye pressure, abnormal blood pressure, myopia, certain corneal history, or long-term steroid use.
  • It would also cover any individual age 60 or older.
• Medicare would be amended so glaucoma screening for these specified high-risk individuals is covered as an allowable benefit starting in 2027.
• Medicaid would be amended to require glaucoma screening for these specified individuals as a covered service starting in 2027.
• For certain Medicaid benchmark plans, glaucoma screening would have to be included and could not have deductibles, copays, or similar charges.
• Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plans would have to cover glaucoma screening for the specified individuals without any cost sharing, starting with plan years beginning in 2027.

New federal screening and prevention program

The bill would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through its Vision Health Initiative, to expand glaucoma detection and prevention efforts. It would create a grant program to help eligible organizations provide free or low-cost glaucoma screenings and follow-up treatment to uninsured and underinsured people at higher risk.

The grant money could be used for:

• screenings and treatment,
• community outreach and education,
• mobile screening units,
• care coordination and referrals to eye care,
• data collection and program evaluation, and
• disease surveillance.

The CDC would give priority to projects serving racial and ethnic minority communities and other underserved groups with high rates of glaucoma and vision loss. The bill would authorize $10 million for this program for fiscal years 2027 and 2028.

Research funding

The bill would also create a new federal research grant program for glaucoma and optic nerve damage. The research could cover:

• optic nerve regeneration and repair,
• ways to protect nerve cells from damage,
• gene therapies related to glaucoma, and
• stem cell and other advanced approaches to preserving or restoring vision.

This research program would also be authorized at $10 million for fiscal years 2027 and 2028.

Relevant Companies

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