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

Sec. 3002. Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, historically Black professional or graduate institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges, regional community-based organizations, and national minority medical associations

Part B of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

742. Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, historically Black professional or graduate institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and Tribal Colleges

(a) In general. The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall award grants to Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, historically Black professional or graduate institutions eligible for grants under section 326 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges or Universities, regional community-based organizations, and national minority medical associations, for counseling, mentoring, and providing information on financial assistance to prepare underrepresented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from health professional schools and to increase services for underrepresented minority students including—

(1) mentoring with underrepresented health professionals;

(2) providing financial assistance information for continued education and applications to health professional schools; and

(3) retaining existing enrolled underrepresented minority students in a health professions school.

(b) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution. The term Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution has the meaning given such term in section 320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(2) Hispanic-serving institution. The term Hispanic-serving institution means an entity that—

(A) is a school or program for which there is a definition under section 799B;

(B) has an enrollment of full-time equivalent students that is made up of at least 9 percent Hispanic students;

(C) has been effective in carrying out programs to recruit Hispanic individuals to enroll in and graduate from the school;

(D) has been effective in recruiting and retaining Hispanic faculty members;

(E) has a significant number of graduates who are providing health services to medically underserved populations or to individuals in health professional shortage areas; and

(F) is a Hispanic Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education designated under section 736(d)(2).

(3) Historically Black college and university. The term historically Black college and university has the meaning given the term part B institution as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(4) Tribal college or university. The term Tribal College or University has the meaning given such term in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(c) Certain loan repayment programs. In carrying out the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established under subpart III of part D of title III and the loan repayment program under section 317F, the Secretary shall ensure, notwithstanding such subpart or section, that loan repayments of not less than $50,000 per year per person are awarded for repayment of loans incurred for enrollment or participation of underrepresented minority individuals in health professional schools and other health programs described in this section.

(d) Authorization of appropriations. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

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

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