H.R. 9877

Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026

Sponsor: Raul Ruiz

26 cosponsors
Follow this bill

Official summary

No official summary yet.

Text of the bill

Expand all

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

J Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders

K Kidney disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment

Sec. 7901A–7. The Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act; Medigap coverage for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease

(a) Guaranteed availability of medigap policies to all ESRD medicare beneficiaries

(1) In general. Section 1882(s) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ss(s)) is amended—

(A) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking is 65 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: “is—

Text this section adds to the law

(i) 65 years of age or older and is enrolled for benefits under part B; or

(ii) is entitled to benefits under 226A(b) and is enrolled for benefits under part B.

; and

(ii) in subparagraph (D), in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting (or is entitled to benefits under 226A(b)) after is 65 years of age or older; and

(B) in paragraph (3)(B)—

(i) in clause (ii), by inserting (or is entitled to benefits under 226A(b)) after is 65 years of age or older; and

(ii) in clause (vi), by inserting (or under 226A(b)) after at age 65.

(2) Effective date. The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply to Medicare supplemental policies effective on or after January 1, 2027.

(b) Additional enrollment period for certain individuals

(1) One-time enrollment period

(A) In general. In the case of an individual described in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a one-time enrollment period during which such an individual may enroll in any Medicare supplemental policy under section 1882 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ss) of the individual’s choosing.

(B) Enrollment period. The enrollment period established under subparagraph (A) shall begin on January 1, 2027, and shall end June 30, 2027.

(2) Individual described. An individual described in this paragraph is an individual who—

(A) is entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c et seq.) or under section 226A(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 426–1(b));

(B) is enrolled for benefits under part B of such title XVIII (42 U.S.C. 1395j et seq.); and

(C) would not, but for the provisions of, and amendments made by, subsection (a) be eligible for the guaranteed issue of a Medicare supplemental policy under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 1882(s) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ss(s)).

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