A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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
The bill, titled the Ovarian Cancer IMPACT Act, aims to modernize and strengthen Federal efforts to improve ovarian cancer awareness, hereditary cancer risk assessment, and access to specialty care. It reauthorizes and expands public awareness campaigns and demonstration projects through Johanna's Law, authorizing appropriations of $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The legislation enhances rural access to health care services and expands the capacity for health outcomes regarding ovarian cancer. It establishes new standards requiring group health plans and health insurance issuers to provide coverage for genetic and genomic testing, early detection, and risk-reducing interventions for individuals meeting specific criteria. Finally, the bill mandates implementation plans, regular reporting to Congress, and provider education initiatives.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +9
Would women be better off under this?
The bill directly enhances health services, insurance coverage for genetic testing, and early detection specifically focused on ovarian and related cancers affecting women.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill improves overall healthcare access by mandating insurance coverage for genetic and genomic testing, early detection, and risk-reducing interventions for ovarian cancer.
- Scored +7
Would people in middle age be better off under this?
Middle-aged individuals facing risks for ovarian and endometrial cancers benefit directly from mandated genetic testing and early detection coverage.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance?
Mandating expanded health insurance coverage for genetic testing, counseling, and risk-reducing interventions could upwardly pressure private insurance premiums.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The bill authorizes appropriations of $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out Johanna's Law updates, slightly increasing federal expenditures.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes new funding allocations and grant programs for ovarian cancer awareness and rural health access.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Improved Insurance Coverage for Genetic and Genomic Testing: Section 5 (adding new section 2729A(a) to the Public Health Service Act) requires group health plans and health insurance issuers to provide coverage for genetic counseling, multi-gene panel testing, single-gene testing, and tumor genomic profiling for enrollees who have a personal history of ovarian or endometrial cancer, or a family history indicative of hereditary ovarian cancer or other hereditary cancer syndromes. This is a positive step because it helps individuals understand their genetic risks and informs treatment decisions without being denied insurance coverage for these necessary diagnostic tools.
-
Expanded Access to Early Detection and Risk-Reducing Interventions: Section 5 (adding new section 2729A(b)) mandates that health plans and issuers provide coverage for evidence-based early detection, hereditary cancer risk management, and risk-reducing surgeries for individuals identified as being at elevated hereditary risk. This provision is beneficial because it allows at-risk individuals to proactively manage their health and potentially prevent ovarian cancer before it develops.
-
Targeted Outreach and Grants for Underserved and Rural Communities: Section 3 (amending Section 317P(d) of the Public Health Service Act) requires enhanced outreach and education, including public service announcements and demonstration project grants that give preference to applicants serving rural, medically underserved, or high-risk populations. This provision is positive because it directly addresses the significant disparities in access to gynecologic oncology services and genetic counseling for people living outside of major medical centers.
-
Support for Rural Health Services and Tribal Communities: Section 4 amends the Public Health Service Act to explicitly include ovarian cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counseling within rural health care services outreach grants and expands capacity programs to include Tribal communities. This ensures that people in remote or indigenous areas have better access to vital cancer care resources.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Financial Strain from Insurance Mandates: Section 5 mandates that health plans and issuers cover specific genetic testing, counseling, and risk-reducing interventions. While beneficial for patients seeking care, these broad federal mandates could potentially lead to increased overall health insurance premiums or out-of-pocket costs for consumers if insurance companies pass the cost of compliance onto the enrollees.
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 women be better off under this? — The bill directly enhances health services, insurance coverage for genetic testing, and early detection specifically focused on ovarian and related cancers affecting women. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Middle-aged individuals facing risks for ovarian and endometrial cancers benefit directly from mandated genetic testing and early detection coverage. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The legislation prioritizes outreach and grants for applicants serving rural populations to address disparities in gynecologic oncology and genetic counseling. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly expands capacity programs and grants to include Tribal communities for ovarian cancer prevention and care. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Older adults and seniors benefit from enhanced awareness, screening guidance, and improved access to ovarian cancer specialty care. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Younger individuals with hereditary cancer risks benefit from proactive genetic counseling and risk-reducing interventions enabled by the bill. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income households benefit from targeted outreach and grants for medically underserved communities to improve access to cancer care. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill emphasizes culturally appropriate outreach and addresses disparities affecting minority populations at elevated risk. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The legislation includes provisions for culturally and linguistically appropriate public service announcements and outreach for diverse high-risk populations.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill amends rural health grants and capacity programs to explicitly support ovarian cancer prevention, diagnosis, and care in rural and tribal communities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill improves overall healthcare access by mandating insurance coverage for genetic and genomic testing, early detection, and risk-reducing interventions for ovarian cancer. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Mandating expanded health insurance coverage for genetic testing, counseling, and risk-reducing interventions could upwardly pressure private insurance premiums.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes new funding allocations and grant programs for ovarian cancer awareness and rural health access. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill authorizes appropriations of $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out Johanna's Law updates, slightly increasing federal expenditures.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill imposes new federal coverage requirements on group health plans and health insurance issuers regarding genetic and genomic testing.
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama