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. 3016. Grants for schools of medicine and schools of osteopathic medicine in underserved areas

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

Text this section adds to the law

749C. Grants for schools of medicine and schools of osteopathic medicine in underserved areas

(a) In general. The Secretary may award grants to institutions of higher education (including consortiums of such institutions) for the establishment, improvement, or expansion of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine.

(b) Priority. In selecting grant recipients under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to any institution of higher education (or consortium of such institutions) that—

(1) proposes to use the grant for the establishment of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, in an area—

(A) in which—

(i) no other such school is based; or

(ii) in the case in which the school of medicine or osteopathic medicine proposed to be established would be a minority-serving institution, no other minority-serving institution that includes a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine is based; and

(B) that is a medically underserved community or a health professional shortage area; or

(2) is a minority-serving institution described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or an institution or program described in section 326(e) of such Act.

(c) Considerations. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary, to the extent practicable, may ensure equitable distribution of awards among the geographical regions of the United States.

(d) Use of funds. An institution of higher education (or a consortium of such institutions)—

(1) shall use grant amounts received under this section to—

(A) recruit, enroll, and retain medical students who are pursuing a degree of doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy, including individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic groups underrepresented among medical students and health professions), individuals from rural and underserved areas, low-income individuals, and first generation college students, at a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine; and

(B) develop, implement, and expand curriculum that emphasizes care for rural and underserved populations, including accessible and culturally and linguistically appropriate care and services, at such school or branch campus; and

(2) may use grant amounts received under this section to—

(A) plan and construct—

(i) a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, in an area in which no other such school is based; or

(ii) a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, that will be a minority-serving institution, in an area in which no other such school that is a minority-serving institution is based;

(B) plan, develop, and meet criteria for accreditation for a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine;

(C) hire faculty, including faculty from racial and ethnic groups who are underrepresented among the medical and other health professions, and other staff to serve at such a school or branch campus;

(D) support educational programs at such a school or branch campus;

(E) modernize and expand infrastructure at such a school or branch campus; and

(F) support other activities that the Secretary determines further the establishment, improvement, or expansion of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine.

(e) Application. To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an institution of higher education (or a consortium of such institutions), shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of the institution’s or consortium's planned activities described in subsection (d).

(f) Reporting

(1) Reports from entities. Each institution of higher education, or consortium of such institutions, awarded a grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary on the activities conducted under such grant.

(2) Report to Congress. Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this section and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that provides a summary of the activities and outcomes associated with grants made under this section. Such reports shall include a list of awardees, including their primary geographic location, and location of any school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine that was established, improved, or expanded under this program.

(g) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Branch campus

(A) In general. The term branch campus, with respect to a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, means an additional location of such school that is geographically apart and independent of the main campus, at which the school offers at least 50 percent of the program leading to a degree of doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy that is offered at the main campus.

(B) Independence from main campus. For purposes of subparagraph (A), the location of a school described in such subparagraph shall be considered to be independent of the main campus described in such subparagraph if the location—

(i) is permanent in nature;

(ii) offers courses in educational programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential;

(iii) has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization; and

(iv) has its own budgetary and hiring authority.

(2) First generation college student. The term first generation college student has the meaning given such term in section 402A(h)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(3) Health professional shortage area. The term health professional shortage area has the meaning given such term in section 332(a).

(4) Institution of higher education. The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(5) Medically underserved community. The term medically underserved community has the meaning given such term in section 799B(6).

(h) Authorization of appropriations. There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

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