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

G Investing in Equity

H Miscellaneous

Sec. 4703. Addressing disparities in Medicare Advantage benchmark levels based on penetration

(a) In general. Section 1853(n) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–23(n)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking subsequent year and inserting subsequent year, subject to paragraph (6),; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(6) Average geographic adjustment floor. For 2027 and subsequent years, when calculating the adjusted average per capita cost under section 1876(a)(4) for the purposes of establishing the base payment amount specified in paragraph (2)(E), the average geographic adjustment shall not be less than 0.70 for any area. For the purposes of the previous sentence, the Secretary may define the term average geographic adjustment under subparagraph (A) by program instruction or otherwise.

(b) Ensuring plan payments flow to providers and patients. Section 1854(a)(6) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–24(a)(6)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(C) Ensuring increased payments support care. With respect to the increase in blended benchmark amount attributable to the application of section 1853(n)(6), no less than 50 percent shall be directed toward payment for basic benefits as defined in section 1852(a)(1)(B).

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