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

E HIV/AIDS

Sec. 7404. Evidence-based strategies for improving linkage to, and retention in, appropriate care

(a) Strategies. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, the Director of the Office of AIDS Research, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall—

(1) identify evidence-based strategies most effective at addressing the multifaceted issues that impede disease status awareness with respect to HIV/AIDS and linkage to, and retention in, appropriate care, taking into consideration health care systems issues, clinic and provider issues, and individual psychosocial, environmental, and other contextual factors;

(2) support the wide-scale implementation of the evidence-based strategies identified pursuant to paragraph (1), including through incorporating such strategies into health care coverage supported by the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), the program under title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300ff–11 et seq.; commonly referred to as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program), and health plans purchased through an Exchange established under title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148); and

(3) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit a report to the Congress on the status of activities under paragraphs (1) and (2).

(b) Authorization of appropriations. To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2027 through 2030.

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