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

C Acquired bone marrow failure diseases

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

Sec. 7307. Guide on evidence-based strategies for public health department obesity prevention programs

(a) Development and dissemination of an evidence-Based strategies guide. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, shall—

(1) develop a guide on evidence-based strategies for State, territorial, and local health departments to use to build and maintain effective obesity prevention and reduction programs, and, in consultation with stakeholders that have expertise in Tribal health, a guide on such evidence-based strategies with respect to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for such Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to use for such purpose, both of which guides shall—

(A) describe an integrated program structure for implementing interventions proven to be effective in preventing and reducing the incidence of obesity; and

(B) recommend—

(i) optimal resources, including staffing and infrastructure, for promoting nutrition and obesity prevention and reduction; and

(ii) strategies for effective obesity prevention programs for State and local health departments, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations, including strategies related to—

(I) the application of evidence-based and evidence-informed practices to prevent and reduce obesity rates;

(II) the development, implementation, and evaluation of obesity prevention and reduction strategies for specific communities and populations;

(III) demonstrated knowledge of obesity prevention practices that reduce associated preventable diseases, health conditions, death, and health care costs;

(IV) best practices for the coordination of efforts to prevent and reduce obesity and related chronic diseases;

(V) addressing the underlying risk factors and social determinants of health that impact obesity rates; and

(VI) interdisciplinary coordination between relevant public health officials specializing in fields such as nutrition, physical activity, epidemiology, communications, and policy implementation, and collaboration between public health officials and community-based organizations; and

(2) disseminate the guides and current research, evidence-based practices, tools, and educational materials related to obesity prevention, consistent with the guides, to State and local health departments, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations.

(b) Technical assistance. The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall provide technical assistance to State and local health departments, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to support such health departments in implementing the guides developed under subsection (a)(1).

(c) Indian tribes; tribal organizations. In this section, the terms Indian Tribe and Tribal organization have the meanings given the terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

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