State of Men’s Health Act

Key Points

• This bill would create a new 'Office of Men’s Health' inside the Department of Health and Human Services. This office would be responsible for coordinating health programs, research, and public awareness campaigns specifically for men across the country.
• The plan addresses a growing 'lifespan gap' between genders. On average, men in the U.S. die nearly six years earlier than women. The bill points out that men are more likely to die from 9 out of the top 10 leading causes of death, including heart disease and various cancers.
• Mental health is a major priority of the bill. It highlights that men account for 80% of all suicides in the U.S. The new office would work on suicide prevention and mental health support, with a special focus on veterans returning from war zones.
• The government would conduct a massive study to find out why men are falling behind in health outcomes. This study would look at why men often skip preventive screenings and how to encourage them to see doctors more regularly for things like diabetes and prostate cancer.
• To pay for this, the bill requires the government to use money it already has rather than asking for new tax dollars. It also strictly forbids taking any money away from the existing Office on Women’s Health to fund this new project.