Senate hepatitis C proposal stalls after costly CBO estimate

The bipartisan Senate plan to fight hepatitis C has been delayed because the Congressional Budget Office gave it a higher-than-expected cost score, sponsor Bill Cassidy said.

A bipartisan Senate initiative aimed at reducing hepatitis C infections has hit a roadblock after the Congressional Budget Office assigned it a cost projection that sponsors called disappointing. The legislation, spearheaded by Bill Cassidy, R-La., and co-sponsored by Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., proposes a national strategy offering free antiviral medication and expanding testing for vulnerable populations. Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and previously treated liver disease, said passing the bill is a priority before he leaves Congress in January.

The CBO figure, higher than a prior estimate for a similar Medicaid program, has prevented the bill from advancing since its introduction in June 2025. Both senators indicated ongoing talks with the CBO to secure a revised score, and Van Hollen expressed optimism about a resolution. In the House, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Rep. Diana DeGette introduced a similar measure that does not contain language restricting unauthorized immigrants from accessing the medication.