Sickle Cell Care Expansion Act of 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Would create new programs to boost sickle cell disease care and support patients.

This bill would set up new federal programs to improve care for people with sickle cell disease. It would offer scholarships and help repay loans for doctors specializing in sickle cell, and provide grants for community education and patient support, especially for young adults moving to adult care.

What Would Change

Currently, there are no specific federal scholarship or loan repayment programs for doctors focusing on sickle cell disease, nor are there dedicated federal grants for community support or patient transitions. This bill would create these programs, setting aside $270 million each year from the government's budget year 2027 to 2032 to fund them. This would lead to more doctors specializing in sickle cell disease and new support services for patients and their families.

Key Provisions

Would offer scholarships and help repay student loans for medical students and doctors who agree to specialize in sickle cell disease research or patient care.
Would provide grants to local groups, including community and faith-based organizations, to create education and advocacy programs for people with sickle cell disease and their families.
Would fund programs to help young adults with sickle cell disease, aged 18 to 29, move from children's doctors to adult care, including providing mental health support.
Would allow hospitals and universities to use grant money to train adult sickle cell disease specialists through fellowships or short programs.
Would set aside $150 million each year from 2027 to 2032 for the doctor scholarship and loan repayment program.

View on Congress.gov

S 5489 · 119th Congress · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 8/10

Sickle Cell Care Expansion Act of 2026

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity