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

B Viral hepatitis and liver cancer control and prevention

Sec. 7102. Liver cancer and disease prevention, awareness, and patient tracking grants

Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

330Q. Liver cancer and disease prevention, awareness, and patient tracking grants

(a) Prevention initiative grant program

(1) In general. The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may award grants and enter into cooperative agreements with entities for the purpose of expanding and supporting—

(A) prevention activities (including providing screenings, vaccinations, or other preventative interventions) for conditions known to increase an individual’s risk of developing a major liver disease, such as liver cancer, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis of the liver;

(B) activities relating to detection and provision of guidance for individuals at high risk for contracting liver cancer and other liver diseases; and

(C) viral hepatitis surveillance to provide for timely and accurate information regarding progress to eliminate viral hepatitis.

(2) Report. An entity that receives a grant or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary, at a time specified by the Secretary, a report describing each activity carried out pursuant to such paragraph and evaluating the effectiveness of such activity in promoting prevention and treatment of liver cancer and other liver diseases.

(3) Authorization of appropriations. For purposes of carrying out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

(b) Awareness initiative grant program

(1) In general. The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of raising awareness for liver cancer and other liver diseases, which may include the production, dissemination, and distribution of informational materials targeted towards communities and populations with a higher risk for developing liver cancer and other liver diseases.

(2) Eligible entities. To be eligible to receive a grant under paragraph (1), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of how the entity, in disseminating information on liver cancer and other liver diseases pursuant to paragraph (1), will—

(A) with respect to any community or population, consult with members of such community or population and provide such information in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate for such community or population;

(B) highlight the range of preventative measures and treatments available for liver cancer and other liver diseases;

(C) integrate information on available hepatitis B and hepatitis C testing programs into any liver cancer presentations carried out by the entity; and

(D) address communities and populations with a higher risk for contracting liver cancer and other liver diseases.

(3) Preference. In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to entities that—

(A) work with a Federally qualified health center;

(B) are community-based organizations; or

(C) serve communities and populations with a higher risk for contracting liver cancer and other liver diseases.

(4) Report. An entity that receives a grant under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary, at a time specified by the Secretary, a report describing each activity carried out pursuant to such paragraph and evaluating the effectiveness of such activity in raising awareness for liver cancer and other liver diseases.

(5) Authorization of appropriations. For purposes of carrying out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

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