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

L Diversity in clinical trials

M Additional provisions addressing high-impact minority diseases

N Health Equity and Rare Disease Act

Sec. 7901D–1. NIH expansion, intensification, and coordination of research on rare diseases health equity

Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

409K. Rare diseases health equity

(a) Expansion, intensification, and coordination of activities

(1) In general. The Director of NIH shall expand, intensify, and coordinate research and other activities of the National Institutes of Health with respect to rare diseases health equity.

(2) Allocations by Director of NIH. With respect to amounts appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Director of NIH shall allocate the amounts among the national research institutes that are carrying out paragraph (1).

(b) Coordinating Committee

(1) In general. The Secretary shall maintain a coordinating committee with respect to rare diseases health equity (referred to in this section as the Coordinating Committee) to coordinate activities across the National Institutes and with other Federal health programs and activities relating to rare diseases health equity.

(2) Composition. The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of—

(A) the directors (or their designees) of each of the national research institutes involved in research with respect to rare diseases and minority health or health equity; and

(B) representatives of all other Federal departments and agencies whose programs involve health functions or responsibilities relevant to such rare diseases, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

(3) Chair

(A) In general. With respect to rare diseases health equity, the Chair of the Coordinating Committee shall serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary for Health, and the Director of NIH, and shall provide advice to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, and other relevant agencies.

(B) Director of NIH. The Chair of the Coordinating Committee shall be directly responsible to the Director of NIH.

(c) Plan for NIH Activities

(1) In general. Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Coordinating Committee shall develop a plan for conducting and supporting research and education on rare diseases health equity, and rare diseases or conditions in minority populations, through the national research institutes. The Coordinating Committee shall periodically review and revise the plan. The plan shall—

(A) provide for a broad range of research and education activities relating to biomedical, psychosocial, and rehabilitative issues, including studies of the disproportionate impact of such diseases or conditions on minority populations;

(B) identify priorities among the programs and activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding such diseases or conditions; and

(C) reflect input from a broad range of scientists, patients, and advocacy groups.

(2) Certain elements of plan. The plan under paragraph (1) shall, with respect to rare diseases or conditions in minority populations, provide for the following as appropriate:

(A) Research to determine the reasons underlying the incidence and prevalence of the diseases or conditions, including among subpopulations.

(B) Basic research concerning the etiology and causes of the diseases or conditions.

(C) Epidemiological studies to address the frequency and natural history of the diseases or conditions, including any differences among the sexes and among racial and ethnic groups.

(D) The development of improved screening techniques.

(E) Clinical research for the development and evaluation of new treatments, including new biological agents.

(F) Information and education programs for health care professionals and the public.

(3) Implementation of plan. The Director of NIH shall ensure that programs and activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding rare diseases or conditions in minority populations are implemented in accordance with the plan under paragraph (1).

(d) Definitions. In this section:

(1) The term minority has the meaning given such term in section 464z–3.

(2) The term rare disease or condition has the meaning given such term in section 526 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360bb).

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