H.R. 9682 — Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2026

This section defines terms used in the Act, including correctional facility, hepatitis C treatment as a direct-acting antiviral drug approved for hepatitis C virus infection, Indian health program, Secretary as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, State to include the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and specified territories and freely associated states, and State or local correctional system as a department or agency operating or contracting for correctional facilities.

This section establishes the Hepatitis C Elimination Program to coordinate federal activities to eliminate hepatitis C virus. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue a national strategy and implementation plan within 180 days of enactment that identifies priority populations, inventories existing federal efforts, sets goals with performance metrics, and establishes an advisory committee of individuals with lived experience, clinicians, state and local officials, pharmacists, manufacturers, and health plans; an interagency working group including the CDC, HRSA, CMS, SAMHSA, IHS, FDA, and Bureau of Prisons directors; a public dashboard; stakeholder engagement; and annual reports to Congress through September 30, 2032.

This section establishes a subscription program under which the Secretary purchases hepatitis C treatments from manufacturers and distributes them without cost-sharing to registered pharmacies and sites, participating State and local correctional systems, the Bureau of Prisons, and Indian Health Service facilities. The covered population includes individuals diagnosed with hepatitis C who are enrolled in participating State Medicaid or CHIP programs, confined in participating correctional facilities or Bureau of Prisons facilities (including those released with incomplete treatment), without minimum essential coverage, or receiving care through Indian health programs. The section prohibits use of other federal drug discount programs, including 340B, for treatments obtained through the program.

This section authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states and political subdivisions to improve outreach, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and wraparound services for individuals at increased risk of hepatitis C virus infection. It directs additional awards to opioid treatment programs, certified community behavioral health clinics, tribal health programs, community health centers (for expanded access and capacity to track and treat patients), correctional systems (for testing, treatment, and post-release continuity), and up to 25 Ryan White clinics under a pilot program, all coordinated with the Hepatitis C Elimination Program and allocated by formula based on incidence and covered population.

This section appropriates $4.283 billion for fiscal year 2027, available through fiscal year 2033, to implement the Hepatitis C Elimination Program and related activities. It limits administrative expenses to 5 percent of the total and transfers $25 million to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

This section eliminates the annual deductible and all coinsurance or other cost-sharing for direct-acting antivirals treating hepatitis C under Medicare Part D for plan years 2028 through 2032, with authority for the Secretary to delay implementation to 2029 if infeasible. It applies the same zero cost-sharing rules to low-income subsidy beneficiaries under section 1860D–14.

This section subjects amounts appropriated under this Act and its amendments to the requirements for funds provided under division D of Public Law 118–47. It also provides that nothing in the Act supersedes section 416 of the Controlled Substances Act.