A Democratic bill with 11 Democratic cosponsors · See all 11 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Equity in STI Testing Act. It requires various government health programs to cover specific sexually transmitted infection tests without charging any out-of-pocket costs to the patient. The covered tests include screening for HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and chlamydia. The programs affected include Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), TRICARE, veterans' healthcare, and services for Indians receiving care through the Indian Health Service. Most of these coverage and cost-sharing changes are set to take effect within one year or by the following January.
Yes· 3 of 26
- Scored +9
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Explicitly removes cost-sharing for Indians receiving services through IHS or Urban Indian Organizations.
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Eliminates cost-sharing for STI testing in Medicaid and CHIP.
- Scored +8
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
Specifically eliminates copayments for STI testing within the VA system.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
Limits state autonomy over Medicaid/CHIP coverage options for these specific screenings.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Medicare Advantage Coverage: Under Section 2(a), the bill adds screening testing for HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and chlamydia as preventive services under Medicare Advantage without cost-sharing. This helps older adults and individuals with disabilities get these screenings without having to pay out of pocket.
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Medicaid Benefits: Under Section 2(b), Medicaid programs are required to cover these specific STI screening tests and eliminate cost-sharing like copayments for enrollees. This ensures low-income individuals can access necessary health screenings without financial burdens.
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Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP): Under Section 2(c), targeted low-income children in CHIP are guaranteed coverage for these STI screening tests without any cost-sharing requirements. This protects families from out-of-pocket expenses for youth healthcare.
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TRICARE for Military Members: Under Section 2(d), members and former members of the uniformed services enrolled in TRICARE receive these STI screening tests with all cost-sharing prohibited. This supports military personnel and their families in maintaining their health at no extra cost.
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Veterans' Healthcare: Under Section 2(e), enrolled veterans can receive these STI screening tests at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities without any copayments or charges. This honors veterans by making specific preventive healthcare completely free.
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Indian Health Service Care: Under Section 2(f), Indians receiving health services through the Indian Health Service or Urban Indian Organizations receive coverage for these STI screening tests with zero cost-sharing requirements. This ensures Native individuals have barrier-free access to important health testing.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- State Legislative Delays: Under Section 2(b)(4)(B) and Section 2(c)(3)(B), if a State needs to pass new state legislation to update its Medicaid or CHIP plans to comply with these rules, the state is given extra time before it must comply. During this waiting period, residents in those states might not receive the required cost-free testing immediately.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly removes cost-sharing for Indians receiving services through IHS or Urban Indian Organizations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Eliminates cost-sharing for STI testing in Medicaid and CHIP. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Specifically eliminates copayments for STI testing within the VA system. Would children be better off under this? — Ensures children under CHIP have access to STI screenings without cost-sharing. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — Improves access to essential sexual health screenings for high-risk populations. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Increases access to essential sexual health screenings for young adults in federal programs. Would women be better off under this? — Increases access to screenings for infections that often have critical impacts on women's reproductive health. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Improves access to screenings for populations that may rely more heavily on Medicaid. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Improves access to screenings for populations that may rely more heavily on Medicaid. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Improves access to screenings for populations that may rely more heavily on Medicaid. Would men be better off under this? — Increases access to critical STI screenings without cost barriers. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Provides cost-free STI testing for adults in Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Would retired people be better off under this? — Benefits retirees in Medicare Advantage and VA systems. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Extends preventive STI screening coverage to Medicare Advantage users. Would students be better off under this? — Increases access for students eligible for CHIP or Medicaid. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Provides benefits to those in TRICARE and Medicare Advantage. Would white Americans be better off under this? — General benefit to any individual enrolled in the targeted federal health programs.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Removes financial barriers to critical STI screening across multiple federal health programs. Does this help veterans get medical care? — Ensures veterans in the VA system receive STI screenings without copayments. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — Requires coverage and eliminates cost-sharing for STI testing in Medicaid. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — Expands covered preventive services for Medicare Advantage users.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Specifically provides no-cost testing for Indians through the Indian Health Service. Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people? — Increases access to essential healthcare screenings for populations disproportionately affected by STIs. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Reduces out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income individuals.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Eliminates cost-sharing for STI testing for veterans and TRICARE beneficiaries.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Imposes new mandatory coverage requirements on state-administered Medicaid and CHIP programs. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Limits state autonomy over Medicaid/CHIP coverage options for these specific screenings.
- 7/30/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- 7/27/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Veterans' Affairs, Armed Services, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 10 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Becca BalintDemocrat · Vermont
Yvette ClarkeDemocrat · New York
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
LaMonica McIverDemocrat · New Jersey
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Ritchie TorresDemocrat · New York
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York
Frederica WilsonDemocrat · Florida