The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025 directs HHS to set up a federal subscription program that pays drug manufacturers a fixed annual amount in exchange for unlimited units of direct-acting antiviral hepatitis C drugs over a five-year competitively bid contract. Free treatment with no cost-sharing and no prior authorization would flow to Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in opt-in states, people in Bureau of Prisons custody and in participating state and local jails and prisons, Indian Health Service patients, and uninsured adults verified by designated providers. For Medicare Part D, the bill eliminates the deductible and all cost-sharing on hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals for plan years 2027 through 2031, including for low-income subsidy enrollees. Prices paid under the subscription program are excluded from Medicaid best-price and average-manufacturer-price calculations, meaning manufacturers' rebate exposure on their other sales is not affected by the discounted federal price. Providers cannot stack 340B discounts on drugs obtained through the program, and HHS must audit compliance. The bill appropriates $5.5 billion for the drug purchase and $4.283 billion for the broader elimination program, public-health grants, point-of-care testing, provider training, and a public dashboard, with annual reports to Congress through 2032. Eligibility for treatment is limited to U.S. citizens and enumerated categories of lawfully present non-citizens.
Corporate Benefits
- AMP and best-price carve-out — shields manufacturer rebates on other sales
- Guaranteed federal bulk purchase — 5-year revenue locked in for selected manufacturers
- Prior-authorization removal — utilization brake on subsidized DAAs removed
Average Household Impact
- Part D deductible — waived for DAAs in plan years 2027-2031
- Part D coinsurance — eliminated for DAAs including for low-income subsidy enrollees
- Uninsured-adult access — free DAA treatment through designated providers
Civil Liberties
- Treatment eligibility — restricted to citizens and enumerated lawful-status categories
Criminal Justice & Due Process
- Incarcerated-population DAA access — through BOP and opt-in state/local systems
- Post-release continuity — participating jails must furnish remaining course and referrals
Transparency & Accountability
- Public hepatitis C dashboard — performance metrics published by Secretary
- Annual reports to Congress — program progress reported through 2032
- 340B compliance audits — Secretary-funded to prevent double-discounting
Congressional Summary
Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025This 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.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-06-04
- Date Added
- 2026-05-28
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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