February 27, 2026 

WASHINGTON, DC – As reported in NOTUS and to commemorate American Heart Month, Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the Bipartisan Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act to reauthorize and expand access to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program, which provides free cardiovascular risk screenings to reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women ages 35–64. The program helps participants understand and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and benefit from early detection and treatment.  

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.-04) introduced the Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act in the U.S. House of Representatives alongside 11 other House Members.  

“Nearly every family has been touched in some way by heart disease and stroke, as the leading cause of death for women in Maryland, Alabama, and across the country. We know heart disease is not just costing American lives, but it is also costing us financially– accounting for 12 percent of total U.S. health expenditures. We must do all we can to prevent this disease and ultimately save lives. The Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act provides critical screenings and services to help women catch and treat heart disease early,” said Senator Alsobrooks.  

“Americans deserve ample access to critical health services, particularly as it relates to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in our country. We know that women are at a higher risk of being affected by heart diseases as conditions often present differently in women. Through the Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act, we have an opportunity to expand access to potentially lifesaving resources—like cardiovascular screenings—to those who need them most,” said Senator Britt.  

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for 12 percent of total U.S. health expenditures, more than any other disease. Specifically, heart disease and stroke cost the U.S. health care system $216 billion annually and cause $147 billion in lost job productivity. Women in the United States experience unacceptably high rates of avoidable heart-related illness and death annually, and over half of all American women do not recognize that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in Maryland and Alabama.  

Disparities worsen across race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act is a critical step toward closing those gaps and reducing preventable deaths. 

The WISEWOMAN program currently operates in only a limited number of states and tribal organizations, restricting access for women at highest risk of heart disease.  

Under existing law, women must not only be eligible for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) but also be a recipient of NBCCEDP services to be referred to WISEWOMAN. This requirement unnecessarily restricts participation. The Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act would give CDC, states, and tribal organizations the flexibility to develop additional referral pathways and permit other health care providers to participate in the WISEWOMAN program, significantly expanding access. The bill also authorizes $250 million for WISEWOMAN over the next five years to support nationwide expansion and meet increased demand.   

“Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, yet too many women are still denied access to the screenings that could save their lives,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “That is unacceptable. The WISEWOMAN program works, but outdated restrictions are limiting who it can reach. This bill removes those barriers, expands providers, and invests $250 million to take lifesaving prevention nationwide. Black women and other women of color face the highest risks and the worst outcomes. That is not inevitable, it is preventable. The WISEWOMAN program helps low income women know their numbers before heart disease becomes fatal.  Women’s heart health must be prioritized, funded, and protected.” 

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and it disproportionately affects women of color,” said Rep. DeLauro. “The Center for Disease Control’s WISEWOMAN program, which I was proud to help establish in 1993, provides needed services to women who struggle with accessing healthcare – to ensure that they receive the treatment they need to prevent and overcome heart disease and lower their risk of death. I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Beatty on this lifesaving legislation that will expand access to cardiovascular disease screenings and support services, and will continue to fight to ensure all women have access to the healthcare they need to thrive.”  

“Historically and unnecessarily, women have experienced delayed diagnoses, ineffective treatments, and poor prognoses when it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, management, and care. Information, awareness, and access to critical cardio-health services can and will save women’s lives,” said Rep. Chris Smith. “To combat the systemic gaps in health care and to improve the outcomes of women suffering from CVD, I am proud to introduce the Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act alongside my fellow Congressional Coalition on Heart and Stroke Co-Chair, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH). This critical legislation reauthorizes and expands the CDC’s WISEWOMAN program, ensuring that more at-risk women can benefit from the program’s free-of-charge cardiovascular health services, regardless of financial constraints or insurance coverage.”  

Read the full bill text here.    

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