S. 5260 — Stroke Act

This section states congressional findings that stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States, ranks as the fifth-leading cause of death with 166,852 deaths in 2024, and is a leading cause of long-term disability, with nearly half of adults having high blood pressure as a key controllable risk factor.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, to conduct or support research on the delivery of stroke care, including inconsistencies in inpatient and pre-hospital care, obstacles to research participation, public education on stroke symptoms, access to hyperacute and acute care and rehabilitation, discrepancies in referral patterns, differences in inpatient procedures, and demographic variations in diagnostics and secondary prevention. It authorizes appropriations of $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

This section authorizes the Secretary, acting through the CDC Director, to award grants or cooperative agreements to public or private nonprofit entities to expand, maintain, and enhance a national stroke registry that collects standardized data on stroke care, treatment, quality measures, and patient outcomes. It requires the registry to build on existing infrastructure, support quality improvement and research, facilitate data sharing with state and local agencies, and protect patient privacy, and it authorizes appropriations of $10 million for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the CDC Director, to award grants to public and nonprofit entities to improve stroke care quality across the continuum. It permits use of funds for community and clinical stroke education, EMS training on transport protocols, post-stroke care and rehabilitation coordination, workforce development to address care inconsistencies, and expanded telestroke services in underserved regions, with $10 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

This section authorizes the Secretary, acting through the CDC Director, to award grants or cooperative agreements to public or private nonprofit entities for a national education campaign promoting stroke prevention and immediate treatment for stroke patients. It authorizes $2 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and requires the campaign to avoid duplicating other federal efforts.