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

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

Sec. 7006. Improved medicaid coverage for certain breast and cervical cancer patients in the territories

(a) Elimination of funding limitations. Section 1108(g)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1308(g)(4)) is amended—

(1) by striking paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of; and

(2) by adding at the end the following: With respect to fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 2027, payment for medical assistance for individuals who are eligible for such assistance only on the basis of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XVIII) shall not be taken into account in applying subsection (f) (as increased in accordance with this subsection) to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa for such fiscal year..

(b) Application of enhanced fmap for highest state. Section 1905(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: Notwithstanding the first sentence of this subsection, with respect to medical assistance described in clause (4) of such sentence that is furnished in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa in a fiscal year, the Federal medical assistance percentage is equal to the highest such percentage applied under such clause for such fiscal year for any of the 50 States or the District of Columbia that provides such medical assistance for any portion of such fiscal year..

(c) Effective date. The amendments made by this section shall apply to payment for medical assistance for items and services furnished on or after October 1, 2026.

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