HHS Opens $1 Million for Women's Preventive Care Guidelines
The Health Resources and Services Administration is seeking one organization to review and update federal women's preventive health guidelines.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Women’s Health
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a funding opportunity of up to $1 million for updates to women's preventive health care guidelines through the Health Resources and Services Administration. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by January 8, 2027.
Why it matters
The guidelines determine which preventive services must be covered without cost sharing under federal law for most non-grandfathered private health insurance plans. The initiative also aims to reach medically underserved populations, including women in rural and frontier communities.
The funding opportunity, number HRSA-27-072, provides up to $1 million for a single organization to assemble a panel of at least 10 experts reviewing women's preventive services. HHS's 2022 estimate of about 58 million women with no-cost preventive coverage sets the scale of the existing benefit, but the outcome of the panel's review remains unknown.
The players
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
HRSA is the federal agency within HHS that administers the Women's Preventive Services Guidelines and the WISH program.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS is the federal department that announced the funding opportunity and oversees federal health policy, including preventive service requirements.
The details
The Women's Initiative for Screening and Health program, administered by HRSA, will fund one organization during fiscal year 2027 to review existing scientific evidence and recommend updates to HRSA-supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines. The selected organization will also develop educational materials for communities with limited resources. The funding does not directly go to patients or clinics.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: HHS announced the funding opportunity.
Fiscal year 2027: Funding period for the WISH program.
January 8, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET: Application deadline on Grants.gov.
Big Picture
Under the Affordable Care Act, most non-grandfathered private health plans must cover HRSA-supported preventive services without copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance. This funding updates the guidelines that define those services for women, extending a framework the law created.
Women with most private health plans will continue to receive HRSA-supported preventive services without out-of-pocket costs under current rules. Any changes recommended by the panel would affect which services carry that no-cost coverage in future plan years.
The takeaway
Federal preventive guidelines directly determine which screenings and services women can receive without cost sharing. Staying informed about updates from HRSA can help women understand their coverage as recommendations change.
What happens next
Applications for funding opportunity HRSA-27-072 close January 8, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET through Grants.gov, after which HRSA will select one organization to convene the expert panel.
Further reading
Explore more in Women's Health coverage on how federal preventive guidelines shape care.
More information
Find the application details for the Grants.gov funding opportunity HRSA-27-072 application portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dailyfly News.
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