H.R. 9877

Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026

Sponsor: Raul Ruiz

26 cosponsors
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I Data collection and reporting

II Culturally and linguistically appropriate health and health care

III Health workforce diversity

A Diversifying the health care workplace

B Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Behavioral and Mental Health Workforce

C ACCESS in Mental Health Act

D Developing the Community Health Workforce Act

IV Improving Health Care Access and Quality

A Reducing Barriers to Accessing Care

B Improvement of Coverage

C Expansion of Access

1 General Provisions

2 Rural

3 Indian Communities

4 Providers

5 Dental

D Advancing Health Equity Through Payment and Delivery Reform

E Health Empowerment Zones

F Equitable Health Care for All

Sec. 4507. Grants for hospitals to promote equitable health care and outcomes

(a) In general. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall award grants to hospitals to promote equitable health care treatment and services, and reduce disparities in care and outcomes.

(b) Consultation. In establishing the criteria for grants under this section and evaluating applications for such grants, the Secretary shall consult with the Director for Civil Rights and Health Equity of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(c) Use of funds. A hospital shall use funds received from a grant under this section to establish or expand programs to provide equitable health care to all patients and to ensure equitable health care outcomes. Such uses may include—

(1) providing explicit and implicit bias training to medical providers and staff;

(2) providing translation or interpretation services for patients;

(3) recruiting and training a diverse workforce;

(4) tracking data related to care and outcomes; and

(5) training on cultural sensitivity.

(d) Priority. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to hospitals that have received disproportionate share hospital payments under section 1886(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(r)) or section 1923 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r–4) with respect to fiscal year 2026.

(e) Supplement, not supplant. Grants awarded under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, any nongovernment efforts, or other Federal, State, or local funds provided to a recipient.

(f) Equitable health care defined. The term equitable health care has the meaning given such term in section 1886(b)(3)(B)(viii)(XIII)(cc) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(b)(3)(B)(viii)(XIII)(cc)), as added by section 4502(a).

(g) Authorization of appropriations. To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

G Investing in Equity

H Miscellaneous

I Territories Health Equity

1 Medicare

A Part A

B Part B

C Medicare Advantage (Part C)

D Part D

2 Miscellaneous

V Improving health outcomes for women, gender-diverse people, children, and families

A Underserved communities

B Pregnancy screening

C Pregnancy-Related care

D Federal agency coordination on maternal health

E Reproductive and Sexual Health

F Children’s Health

G Elder Care

H Miscellaneous provisions

VI Mental health and substance use disorders

A Access to care and funding streams

B Interprofessional care

C Workforce development

D Children’s mental health

E Community-Based care

F Reports

G Miscellaneous provisions

VII Addressing high-impact minority diseases

A Cancer

B Viral hepatitis and liver cancer control and prevention

C Acquired bone marrow failure diseases

D Cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, obesity, and other disease issues

E HIV/AIDS

F Diabetes

G Lung disease

H Tuberculosis

I Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases

J Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders

K Kidney disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment

L Diversity in clinical trials

M Additional provisions addressing high-impact minority diseases

N Health Equity and Rare Disease Act

O Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention

P New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease

VIII Health Information Technology

A Reducing Health Disparities Through Health IT

B Modifications To Achieve Parity in Existing Programs

C Additional Research and Studies

D Closing Gaps in Funding To Adopt Certified EHRs

E Expanding Access to Telehealth Services

IX Accountability and Evaluation

X Addressing Social Determinants and Improving Environmental Justice

A In General

B Gun Violence

C Nutrition for women, children, families

1 Senior hunger prevention

2 Closing the meal gap

D Universal school meals

1 School breakfast program

2 School lunch program

3 Elementary and secondary education data

4 Amendments to other programs and laws

XI Protections to combat regulatory harm to health equity