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

F Diabetes

G Lung disease

H Tuberculosis

I Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases

Sec. 7802. Grants for comprehensive osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal disease health education within health professions schools

(a) Program authorized. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary), in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to academic health science centers, health professions schools, and institutions of higher education to enable such centers, schools, and institutions to provide people with comprehensive education on arthritis and musculoskeletal health, particularly—

(1) obesity-related musculoskeletal diseases;

(2) arthritis and osteoarthritis;

(3) arthritis and musculoskeletal health disparities; and

(4) the relationship between arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases and metabolic activity, psychological health, and comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lupus, and hypertension.

(b) Duration. Grants awarded under this section shall be for a period of 5 years.

(c) Applications. An academic health science center, health professions school, or institution of higher education seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(d) Priority. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to an institution of higher education that—

(1) has an enrollment of needy students, as defined in section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b));

(2) is a Hispanic-serving institution, as defined in section 502(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a));

(3) is a Tribal College or University, as defined in section 316(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b));

(4) is an Alaska Native-serving institution, as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b));

(5) is a Native Hawaiian-serving institution, as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b));

(6) is a Predominately Black Institution, as defined in section 318(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b));

(7) is a Native American-serving, nontribal institution, as defined in section 319(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059f(b));

(8) is an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution, as defined in section 320(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059g(b)); or

(9) is a minority institution, as defined in section 365 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067k), with an enrollment of needy students, as defined in section 312 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1058).

(e) Uses of funds. An academic health science center, health professions school, or institution of higher education receiving a grant under this section may use the grant funds to integrate issues relating to comprehensive arthritis and musculoskeletal health into the academic or support sectors of the center, school, or institution in order to reach a large number of students, by carrying out 1 or more of the following activities:

(1) Developing educational content for issues relating to comprehensive arthritis and musculoskeletal health education that will be incorporated into first-year orientation or core courses.

(2) Creating innovative technology-based approaches to deliver arthritis and musculoskeletal health education to students, faculty, and staff.

(3) Developing and employing peer-outreach and education programs to generate discussion, educate, and raise awareness among students about issues relating to arthritis and musculoskeletal health disorders, and their relationship to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, psychological health, and other comorbid conditions.

(f) Report to congress

(1) In general. Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for a period of 5 years, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the activities to provide health professions students with comprehensive arthritis and musculoskeletal health education funded under this section.

(2) Report elements. The report described in paragraph (1) shall include information about—

(A) the number of entities that are receiving a grant under this section;

(B) the specific activities supported by grants under this section;

(C) the number of students served by programs supported by grants under this section; and

(D) the status of evaluations of such programs.

(g) Definition of institution of higher education. In this section, the term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

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