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H.R. 1410: 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025

This bill, known as the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, aims to amend the Public Health Service Act, specifically sections relating to the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program. The key provisions of the bill include:

Flexibility for Mental Health Conditions

The bill provides greater flexibility for the certification of mental health conditions under the WTC Health Program. It allows the program to accept evaluations from various licensed mental health providers, not just physicians. The WTC Program Administrator will establish categories of mental health providers who can conduct these evaluations.

Updated Qualifications for Evaluators

Under the new provisions, both physicians and qualified mental health providers can evaluate individuals for mental health conditions. This change aims to streamline the process and widen access to mental health care for affected individuals.

Criteria for Provider Credentialing

The bill also updates the criteria for credentialing health care providers participating in the nationwide network. The focus will be on the WTC Program Administrator removing certain outdated requirements for providers.

Clarifying Enrollment Calculations

It clarifies eligibility criteria for responders and survivors by ensuring that deceased individuals are not counted in the enrollment figures for either group. This change aims to provide a more accurate account of currently enrolled individuals.

Timeframe for Adding Health Conditions

The timeline for adding new health conditions to the list for WTC responders has been extended from 90 days to 180 days, thereby allowing more time for evaluations and considerations of health conditions that may arise in the future.

Funding for the WTC Health Program

The bill proposes adjustments to funding for the WTC Health Program, including:

Increasing fiscal year budgets annually by 7% from the previous fiscal year.
Establishing minimum funding levels for the fiscal years 2026 onward, ensuring a minimum of 25% increase over previous fiscal expenditures if necessary.

Technical Amendments

It includes technical amendments regarding the management of remaining funds in various related accounts, ensuring that excess funds revert to the Treasury as needed.

Reporting Requirements

The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct an assessment of the program's budgetary needs through fiscal year 2090 and provide a report to Congress. This assessment will include expectations for funding needs, budget reviews from previous years, and any recommendations for adjustments to formulas governing the funding process.