BHOF Applauds Senators for Passage of Important Improvements to Advance Osteoporosis Care and Education – Calls Action “An Important Victory for Bone Health”
August 11, 2025 (Arlington, VA) – The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) commended the key Senators who led a successful effort to pass improvements to osteoporosis care and education as a part of legislation funding health programs next year. Osteoporosis is a common, costly and often under-recognized chronic disease that impacts 54 million Americans.
“On behalf of BHOF and the 54 million Americans impact by osteoporosis, we want to thank Senators Capito, Baldwin, Collins, and Murray for their continued leadership and commitment to improve osteoporosis care,” said BHOF CEO Claire Gill. “Specifically, we greatly appreciate the inclusion of $4.5 million for CDC's chronic disease education and awareness program and report language calling for continued support for ongoing project's like BHOF's national osteoporosis education and awareness campaign. We are also grateful to see language urging CMS to finally provide a specific Medicare payment mechanism aimed at reducing costly osteoporotic fractures. Both these provisions, if enacted into law, would improve care, save lives. and reduce health care costs,” concluded Gill.
Late last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the fiscal year 2026 (which starts on 10/1/2025) funding bill for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by a strong bipartisan vote of 26-3.
Authors of the bill, S.2587, include four of BHOF’s Bone Health Champion Award recipients, Subcommittee Chair Sen. Shelly Capito (R-WV), Full Committee Chair Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Democrats Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).
The bill contains a number of important wins for bone health policy listed below. BHOF has provided educational information supporting the inclusion of these provisions, including input from a coalition of more than 20 bone health, aging and women’s health organizations.
The next step for this legislation should be consideration by the full Senate in September when they return from August recess. BHOF urges lawmakers to prioritize bone health provisions in its final budget legislation. Below are details on the items that will be most impactful to preventing osteoporosis fractures and better managing this chronic disease
CMS Post-Fracture Care: The bill includes information provided by BHOF that again calls on CMS to establish a clear payment mechanism for quality post-fracture care:
Reducing Costly Osteoporotic Fractures: The Committee continues to note that current Medicare payment policies may not be adequate to encourage comprehensive care to reduce osteoporosis related bone fractures. Therefore, the Committee encourages CMS to establish a clear payment mechanism for evidence-based post fracture care that has been shown to reduce the rates of costly secondary fractures through improved screening, treatment initiation and adherence, patient and caregiver education and counseling, and comprehensive falls prevention strategies.
Continued Funding for CDC Chronic Disease Education and Awareness Grants: The bill provides $4.5 million to continue to support the program that supports BHOF’s competitively-awarded grant. The bill’s report also includes language calling on CDC to continue to support ongoing multi-year projects.
Chronic Disease Education and Awareness [CDEA] Program: The Committee notes the importance of the CDEA program and includes funding ($4.5 million) to support grants for chronic health conditions that do not have a line item in CDC’s budget. The Committee urges CDC to continue to support several important multi-year projects that are improving public and professional awareness, along with new initiatives.
Increased Funding for Bone Health Research at NIH: The bill rejects cuts proposed by the Trump Administration and provides $200 million in funding for a NIH-wide women’s health research effort. The Committee report specifically calls our bone health and menopause as priority areas for funding. It also directs NIH to within 60 days reinstate any women’s health grants that have been terminated by NIH. Here is the relevant language from the Committee:
NIH-Wide Effort on Women’s Health Research: The Committee commends NIH for its cross-cutting effort to transform women’s health across the lifespan, which will initially be supported by $200,000,000 from NIH. This NIH-wide effort-a first step to transform the way we approach and fund women’s health research-will allow NIH to catalyze the ambitious, multi-faceted, interdisciplinary research projects that women need, such as research on the impact of perimenopause and menopause on heart health, brain health, and bone health. This coordinated, NIH-wide effort will be led by OD, ORWH, NIA, NHLBI, NIDA, NICHD, NIAMS, and any other Institutes and Centers deemed relevant by the NIH Director. The Committee urges NIH to continue to expand basic, clinical, and translational research into women’s health, including the mechanisms of endometriosis and other gynecological conditions, to identify early diagnostic markers, and develop new treatment methods. The Committee strongly encourages OD and all Institutes and Centers to dedicate additional funds and participate in this cross-cutting effort in fiscal year 2026, with a focus on grant opportunities to support research and education to improve women’s health in diverse settings across the United States. NIH is directed to provide an update on the progress and achievements of the key projects and studies supported by this NIH-wide effort by reporting on their objectives and anticipated/actual outcomes within 90 days of enactment. Finally, within 30 days of enactment, the Committee directs NIH to produce a report on all NIH research grants concerning women’s health that have been terminated or renewals that have been withheld since January 20, 2025, including the grant number, grant recipient, and justification for grant termination or funds withheld. Within 60 days of enactment, the Committee directs NIH to reinstate those grants that have been terminated, and provide weekly updates to the Committee on these efforts until they are complete.
About the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation
Founded in 1984, the mission of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) is to promote strong bones for life, prevent and treat osteoporosis and fractures, and optimize mobility and lifespan following fractures through programs of public and clinician awareness, education, advocacy, and research.