The Endometriosis Coverage, Awareness, Research, and Education Act (the “Endometriosis CARE Act”) would direct the federal government to expand research, data collection, education, and patient support related to endometriosis. The bill defines endometriosis in its findings and states that the disease can cause severe pelvic pain, painful menstruation, pain during sex or urination, infertility, and chronic inflammation, while noting that there is no known cure and the cause is unknown.
The legislation would add a new section to the Public Health Service Act requiring the NIH to conduct or support endometriosis-related research and data collection, including work to improve treatment options and potentially develop a cure. It also authorizes the creation or expansion of an online clearinghouse for research and treatment information, and it directs HHS to analyze barriers to accessing treatment, including transportation problems, provider shortages, insurance coverage gaps, and cost-sharing. The bill further requires public education efforts, provider education on evidence-based care, and a National Academies study on disparities in prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes across demographic and social groups.
If enacted, the bill would amend the Public Health Service Act by adding a new federal endometriosis program and related reporting requirements. It would authorize appropriations of $50 million annually for NIH research from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, $2 million annually for public education, $2 million annually for provider education, and $500,000 for the National Academies disparity study. The bill would also require HHS to collect and analyze data from Medicaid, CHIP, and private health plans, potentially affecting reporting obligations for insurers and state programs, while emphasizing patient privacy protections.
The available context shows no committee debate or recorded votes, so there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill’s introduction. Based on the text and sponsorship, the measure appears to be framed as a bipartisan public health and women’s health initiative focused on improving awareness, diagnosis, treatment, and research for a condition that is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. The overall tone of the bill is strongly supportive of expanded federal action.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history, because none are available. Potential areas of debate, based on the bill text, could include the size of the authorized funding, the burden of new data collection requirements on insurers and public programs, and the scope of federal involvement in treatment access and disparities research. The bill’s emphasis on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language, geography, and insurance status in the disparities study could also draw attention from stakeholders with differing views on health equity research priorities.