Black church coalition urges Congress to back hepatitis C elimination bill

The National Black Church Initiative and the American Clinical Health Disparities Commission are pressing Congress to pass H.R. 9682 and S. 1941, saying the bills would expand access to curative hepatitis C treatment and reduce racial disparities. The push comes as Black Americans continue to face higher hepatitis C prevalence and mortality rates than white Americans.

Why it matters: - The National Black Church Initiative and the American Clinical Health Disparities Commission say hepatitis C remains a preventable and treatable disease that still hits Black Americans harder than white Americans. - The groups are framing H.R. 9682 and S. 1941 as a public health fix with political urgency ahead of November. - The legislation could expand screening and treatment access for Medicaid beneficiaries, uninsured people, and others facing barriers to care.

What happened: - NBCI and ACHDC urged Congress to pass H.R. 9682 and S. 1941 on Aug. 13, 2026. - H.R. 9682 is the Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2026. - Rev. Anthony Evans, NBCI president, said access to a hepatitis C cure should be available to all Americans and tied the issue to Black voter turnout.

The details: - NBCI describes itself as a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino faith communities representing 27.7 million members. - The bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to eliminate hepatitis C through a federal program. - The legislation would use a subscription-style procurement model with drug manufacturers to lower the cost of curative treatments. - The bill would remove cost-sharing and prior authorization barriers for targeted populations, including Medicaid, uninsured individuals and the Indian Health Service, with temporary Medicare Part D provisions. - The bill would direct billions in grants to state, local, tribal and correctional health facilities to expand routine screening and test-to-treat infrastructure. - H.R. 9682 was introduced by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa; Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.; Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga.; and Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. - Curative therapies are more than 95% effective and can eliminate the virus in 8 to 12 weeks. - The source text says many Americans remain undiagnosed or untreated, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and other complications.

Between the lines: - The push combines faith-based organizing with health equity arguments, using racial disparity data to build support for federal action. - The bipartisan sponsorship gives the bill a broader political pitch than a typical health advocacy campaign. - The bill is being presented as a cost and access issue as much as a medical one. - Source data cited in the release show Black Americans make up 13% to 14% of the U.S. population but account for 23% to 25% of chronic hepatitis C cases. - The release also cites hepatitis C mortality of about 5.01 per 100,000 for Black people versus 2.98 per 100,000 for white people. - A JAMA article cited in the release reports hepatitis C prevalence of 1.8% among African Americans versus 0.8% among non-Black Americans.

What's next: - NBCI and ACHDC are pressing lawmakers to move the House bill and the Senate companion measure. - If Congress acts, the legislation would set up a coordinated national program aimed at eliminating hepatitis C. - The groups are also using the issue to mobilize voters and highlight persistent racial gaps in care.

The bottom line: - The campaign seeks to turn a curable disease into a federal elimination effort, with racial equity and access at the center of the argument.