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

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

Sec. 10321. Apportionment to States

Section 4(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking of this Act; and

(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking of this subsection; and

(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(2) Payment amounts

(A) In general. The national average payment for each free lunch shall be $4.63, adjusted annually for inflation in accordance with subparagraph (C) and rounded in accordance with subparagraph (D).

(B) Additional payment for local food

(i) In general. During a school year, a school food authority shall receive an additional payment described in clause (ii) if the State certifies that the school food authority served meals (including breakfasts, lunches, suppers, and supplements) during the preceding school year not less than 25 percent of which were made with farm products that were—

(I) produced and distributed—

(aa) in the State in which the school food authority is located; or

(bb) not more than 250 miles from the location of the school food authority; and

(II) marketed to consumers—

(aa) directly; or

(bb) through an intermediated channel (such as a food hub or cooperative).

(ii) Payment amount

(I) In general. The additional payment amount under this subparagraph shall be—

(aa) $0.30 for each free lunch and supper;

(bb) $0.21 for each free breakfast; and

(cc) $0.08 for each free supplement.

(II) Adjustments. Each additional payment amount under subclause (I) shall be adjusted annually in accordance with subparagraph (C) and rounded in accordance with subparagraph (D).

(iii) Disbursement. The State agency shall disburse funds made available under this subparagraph to school food authorities eligible to receive additional reimbursement.

(C) Inflation adjustment

(i) In general. The annual inflation adjustment under subparagraphs (A) and (B)(ii) shall reflect changes in the cost of operating the free lunch program under this Act, as indicated by the change in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for all urban consumers.

(ii) Basis. Each annual inflation adjustment under subparagraphs (A) and (B)(ii) shall reflect the changes in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for the most recent 12-month period for which those data are available.

(D) Rounding. On July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the national average payment rate for free lunch and the additional payment amount for free breakfast, lunch, supper, and supplement under subparagraph (B) shall be—

(i) adjusted to the nearest lower-cent increment; and

(ii) based on the unrounded amounts for the preceding 12-month period.

3 Elementary and secondary education data

4 Amendments to other programs and laws

XI Protections to combat regulatory harm to health equity