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

Sec. 2009. Requirements for health programs or activities receiving federal funds

(a) Covered entity; health program or activity. In this section:

(1) Covered entity. The term covered entity means an entity described in clause (i) of section 3401(a)(2)(C) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2004.

(2) Health program or activity. The term health program or activity has the meaning given such term in clause (ii) of such section 3401(a)(2)(C).

(b) Requirements. A covered entity, in order to ensure the right of individuals with limited English proficiency to receive access to high-quality health care through the health program or activity, shall—

(1) ensure that appropriate clinical and support staff receive ongoing education and training in culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery at least annually;

(2) offer and provide appropriate language assistance services at no additional charge to each patient that is an individual with limited English proficiency at all points of contact, in a timely manner during all hours of operation;

(3) notify patients of their right to receive language services in their primary language; and

(4) utilize only qualified interpreters for an individual with limited English proficiency or qualified translators, except as provided in subsection (c).

(c) Exemptions. The requirements of subsection (b)(4) shall not apply as follows:

(1) When a patient requests the use of family, friends, or other persons untrained in interpretation or translation if each of the following conditions are met:

(A) The interpreter requested by the patient is over the age of 18.

(B) The covered entity informs the patient in the primary language of the patient that he or she has the option of having the entity provide to the patient an interpreter and translation services without charge.

(C) The covered entity informs the patient that the entity may not require an individual with a limited English proficiency to use a family member or friend as an interpreter.

(D) The covered entity evaluates whether the person the patient wishes to use as an interpreter is competent. If the covered entity has reason to believe that such person is not competent as an interpreter, the entity provides its own interpreter to protect the covered entity from liability if the patient’s interpreter is later found not competent.

(E) If the covered entity has reason to believe that there is a conflict of interest between the interpreter and patient, the covered entity may not use the patient’s interpreter.

(F) The covered entity has the patient sign a waiver, witnessed by at least 1 individual not related to the patient, that includes the information stated in subparagraphs (A) through (E) and is translated into the patient’s primary language.

(2) When a medical emergency exists and the delay directly associated with obtaining competent interpreter or translation services would jeopardize the health of the patient, but only until a competent interpreter or translation service is available.

(d) Rule of construction. Subsection (c)(2) shall not be construed to mean that emergency rooms or similar entities that regularly provide health care services in medical emergencies are exempt from legal or regulatory requirements related to competent interpreter services.

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

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