H.R. 9682: Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2026
This bill would create a federal program aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating hepatitis C. It would do this by combining several approaches: a federal purchasing model for certain hepatitis C medicines, support for state and local public-health efforts, and temporary changes to Medicare drug coverage.
Federal Hepatitis C Elimination Program
The bill would establish a new federal program focused on hepatitis C prevention, testing, treatment, and overall elimination efforts. The program would be designed to help coordinate national efforts and expand access to treatment for people at higher risk of infection.
Subscription Drug-Purchase Model
For certain high-risk groups covered by the program, the federal government would use a subscription-style purchasing model for hepatitis C medicines. In practical terms, this means the government would pay a set amount to secure access to covered antiviral drugs rather than paying separately for each prescription in the usual way. This approach is intended to make treatment more broadly available and reduce barriers to getting medication.
Support for States and Public Health Programs
The bill would provide funding to states and public-health agencies to help with hepatitis C-related activities. This could include outreach, screening, linkage to care, treatment support, and other efforts needed to identify and treat infected individuals.
Medicare Part D Cost-Sharing Changes
The bill would temporarily remove deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries who receive hepatitis C direct-acting antiviral drugs. This relief would apply for plan years 2028 through 2032. The bill also allows for a possible one-year delay, which could shift the start of this no-cost-sharing policy to 2029.
Other Legal Changes
The bill would make technical and conforming changes to existing law to fit the new program and Medicare provisions. It would also preserve current controlled-substances law, meaning it would not alter those rules as part of this legislation.
Relevant Companies
- GILD - Gilead Sciences markets hepatitis C antiviral treatments and could be affected by changes in federal purchasing and Medicare coverage that influence demand and pricing for these drugs.
- ABBV - AbbVie sells hepatitis C therapies and could be affected by expanded government purchasing and reduced patient cost-sharing for antiviral treatment.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
4 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Jul. 14, 2026 | Introduced in House |
| Jul. 14, 2026 | Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, 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. |
Corporate Lobbying
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