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

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

Sec. 8502. Expanding originating sites

(a) Expanding the home as an originating site. Section 1834(m)(4)(C)(ii)(X) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(C)(ii)(X)) is amended to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(X)

(aa) Prior to the date described in item (bb), the home of an individual but only for purposes of section 1881(b)(3)(B) or telehealth services described in paragraph (7) or clause (iii).

(bb) On or after the first day after the end of the period for which clause (iii) applies, the home of an individual.

(b) Allowing additional originating sites. Section 1834(m)(4)(C)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(C)(ii)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subclause:

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(XII) Any other site determined appropriate by the Secretary at which an eligible telehealth individual is located at the time a telehealth service is furnished via a telecommunications system.

(c) Parameters for new originating sites. Section 1834(m)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(C)), as amended by section 8501, is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:

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(v) Requirements for new sites

(I) In general. The Secretary may establish requirements for the furnishing of telehealth services at sites described in clause (ii)(XII) to provide for beneficiary and program integrity protections.

(II) Clarification. Nothing in this clause shall be construed to preclude the Secretary from establishing requirements for other originating sites described in clause (ii).

(d) No originating site facility fee for new sites. Section 1834(m)(2)(B)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended—

(1) in the heading, by striking if originating site is the home and inserting for certain sites; and

(2) by striking paragraph (4)(C)(ii)(X) and inserting subclause (X) or (XII) of paragraph (4)(C).

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