Sponsors (28)
The bill centralizes and coordinates federal action on epilepsy — improving research, care, and patient input — but will likely require new spending, create administrative and privacy burdens, and may take time to deliver benefits unless further statutory changes are made.
People with epilepsy and their caregivers will get a coordinated national plan and updated federal recommendations that aim to improve care coordination, access to services, and annual progress tracking.
Patients, clinicians, and health systems will benefit from improved surveillance, research coordination, and emphasis on early diagnosis and reducing disparities, which could accelerate development of treatments and improve outcomes.
Federal accountability and transparency will increase through mandated reports to Congress, annual progress assessments, and stakeholder-informed recommendations, making federal epilepsy activities more trackable and responsive.
Taxpayers and federal budgets may face higher costs because implementing recommendations and new activities could require additional federal funding or divert resources from other priorities.
Required data sharing across agencies and systems could raise patient privacy concerns, increase administrative burden, and impose interoperability and compliance costs on hospitals and health systems.
The two-year review timeline and the prospect of statutory changes introduce delays before many recommended improvements take effect, slowing near-term benefits for patients.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a federally led National Plan for Epilepsy, requires an HHS review and report, annual assessments, and an advisory council to improve coordination, research, and care.
Creates a federally led, integrated National Plan for Epilepsy that coordinates research, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and services across federal agencies and with stakeholders. Requires the HHS Secretary to review existing federal epilepsy programs, identify gaps and disparities, convene agencies and stakeholders, submit a report to Congress within two years, and produce annual assessments and recommendations. Establishes an Advisory Council on Epilepsy Research, Care, and Services made up of specified federal agency representatives and non‑federal experts (patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and nonprofit representatives). The Council must meet at least quarterly, operate publicly, and help guide the national plan and annual priorities and implementation steps.
Official title: Establish a national plan to coordinate research on epilepsy, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 10, 2025 by Eric Stephen Schmitt · Last progress February 10, 2025