(12) Advancements have led to the development 
of improved diagnostic tests for viral hepatitis. 
These tests, including rapid, point-of-care testing 
and others in development, can facilitate testing, no-
tification of results and posttest counseling, and re-
ferral to care at the time of the testing visit. In par-
ticular, these tests are also advantageous because 
they can be used simultaneously with HIV rapid 
testing for persons at risk for both HCV and HIV 
infections. 
(13) For those chronically infected with HBV 
or HCV, regular monitoring can lead to the early de-
tection of liver cancer at a stage where a cure is still 
possible. Liver cancer is the second deadliest cancer 
in the world; however, liver cancer has received little 
funding for research, prevention, or treatment. 
(14) Treatment for chronic HCV can eradicate 
the disease in approximately 95 percent or more of 
those currently treated. The treatment of chronic 
HBV can effectively suppress viral replication in the 
overwhelming majority (over 80 percent) of those 
treated, thereby reducing the risk of transmission 
and progression to liver scarring or liver cancer, 
even though a complete cure is much less common 
than for HCV. 
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(15) To combat the viral hepatitis epidemic in 
the United States, in May 2011, the Department of 
Health and Human Services released, ‘‘Combating 
the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan 
for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepa-
titis’’. 
(16) The annual health care costs attributable 
to viral hepatitis in the United States are signifi-
cant. For HBV, it is estimated to be approximately 
$2,500,000,000 ($2,000 per infected person). In 
2000, the lifetime cost of HBV—before the avail-
ability of most current therapies—was approximately 
$80,000 per chronically infected person, totaling 
more than $100,000,000,000. For HCV, medical 
costs for patients are expected to increase from 
$30,000,000,000 in 2009 to over $85,000,000,000 
in 2024. Avoiding these costs by screening and diag-
nosing individuals earlier—and connecting them to 
appropriate treatment and care will save lives and 
critical health care dollars. Currently, without a 
comprehensive screening, testing, and diagnosis pro-
gram, most patients are diagnosed too late when 
they need a liver transplant costing at least 
$314,000 for uncomplicated cases or when they have 
liver cancer or end-stage liver disease which costs be-
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tween $30,980 to $110,576 per hospital admission. 
As health care costs continue to grow, it is critical 
that the Federal Government invests in effective 
mechanisms to avoid documented cost drivers. 
(17) According to the Institute of Medicine re-
port in 2010, ‘‘Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A Na-
tional Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepa-
titis B and C’’, chronic HBV and HCV infections 
cause substantial morbidity and mortality despite 
being preventable and treatable. Deficiencies in the 
implementation of established guidelines for the pre-
vention, diagnosis, and medical management of 
chronic HBV and HCV infections perpetuate per-
sonal and economic burdens. Existing grants are not 
sufficient to address the scale of the health burden 
presented by HBV and HCV. 
(18) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices has the discretion to carry out this Act directly 
and through whichever of the agencies of the Public 
Health Service the Secretary determines to be ap-
propriate, which may (in the Secretary’s discretion) 
include the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, the Health Resources and Services Administra-
tion, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Serv-
ices Administration, the National Institutes of 
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Health (including the National Institute on Minority 
Health and Health Disparities), and other agencies. 
(19) For over a decade, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention’s Viral Hepatitis Prevention 
Coordinator (VHPC) Program has been the only na-
tional program dedicated to the prevention and con-
trol of the viral hepatitis epidemics administering 
the duties currently specified by section 317N of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–15) at 
State and local health departments. VHPCs provide 
the technical expertise necessary for the manage-
ment and coordination of activities to prevent viral 
hepatitis infection and disease with little to no Fed-
eral funding for program implementation or develop-
ment. Further, these coordinators help integrate 
viral hepatitis prevention services into health care 
settings and public health programs that serve 
adults at risk for viral hepatitis. 
SEC. 3. REVISION AND EXTENSION OF HEPATITIS SURVEIL-
LANCE, EDUCATION, AND TESTING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 317N of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–15) is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as 
follows: ‘‘SURVEILLANCE, EDUCATION, TESTING, 
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AND LINKAGE TO CARE REGARDING HEPATITIS 
VIRUS’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and 
(3) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in accord-
ance with this section, carry out surveillance, education, 
and testing programs with respect to hepatitis B and hep-
atitis C virus infections (referred to in this section as 
‘HBV’ and ‘HCV’, respectively). The Secretary may carry 
out such programs directly and through grants to public 
and nonprofit private entities, including States, political 
subdivisions of States, territories, Indian tribes, and pub-
lic-private partnerships. 
‘‘(b) NATIONAL SYSTEM.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall, in consultation with States and 
other public or nonprofit private entities and public-pri-
vate partnerships described in subsection (d), establish a 
national system with respect to HBV and HCV with the 
following goals: 
‘‘(1) To determine the incidence and prevalence 
of such infections, including providing for the report-
ing of acute and chronic cases. 
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