Health Investment Zones Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Harder (CA)
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create Health Investment Zones to shrink local health disparities by combining targeted tax incentives, grants, clinician loan repayment, and Medicare payment incentives for high-need communities.
Show full summary
- Residents and families in designated zones would get focused programs to improve outcomes for conditions like cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, behavioral health, maternal and birth health, and obesity. Designations would run for 10 years.
- Clinicians working in zones would be eligible for a student loan repayment program. The bill would also extend tax incentives to zone workers by modifying an existing tax credit (section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code) and creating a new credit under section 25G of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Community nonprofits and local agencies in coalition with health providers could apply for grants and subgrants to fund public health strategies and capacity building. Applications must include plans for sustainability, evaluation, and coordination with state health improvement efforts.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Student Loan Help for Zone Clinicians
If enacted, HHS could pay principal and interest on eligible federal student loans for clinicians who agree to provide full-time services in a Health Investment Zone. Payments could not exceed $10,000 per year, $100,000 in total, or more than 10 years for any practitioner. Payments would count toward qualifying payments for other forgiveness programs and could not duplicate another federal loan payment for the same service.
30% Wage Tax Credit for Zone Workers
If enacted, a new tax credit would let workers claim 30% of wages earned for qualified Health Investment Zone work in the taxable year. A qualified worker must have their principal place of employment in a Health Investment Zone while earning those wages. The credit would apply to wages received after enactment.
Tax Credit for Hiring Zone Staff
If enacted, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit would add a new target group: certified Health Investment Zone workers. A worker must be certified as having a principal place of employment in a Zone and must have primary duties to promote access to healthcare there. Employers could claim WOTC for first-year wages paid to such hires after enactment.
New Health Investment Zones Program
If enacted, HHS would create Health Investment Zones and invite applications within one year. Areas must show poor health by one listed measure, like income under 150% of the poverty line, above-average WIC participation, lower life expectancy, more low birth weight births, or health-professional shortage status. Local nonprofits or governments in coalition with providers would apply with a plan to reduce disparities and target at least one disease or indicator. Grants would fund zone activities and HHS would authorize "such sums as may be necessary" until 10 years after the first zone is designated.
Higher Medicare Pay in Zones
If enacted, Medicare Part B payments for services given in a Health Investment Zone would get extra payments. Medicare would add 10% to the Part B payment for the item or service. An extra 5% would apply at qualifying freestanding physician offices or clinics (POS 11 or 22, not hospital-owned) and at Federally Qualified Health Centers. An extra 10% would apply for listed services like annual wellness visits, certain diabetes training, chronic care management, and specified preventive screenings. Each extra percentage is calculated separately and then added.
Who Counts as a Zone Clinician
If enacted, the bill would define a "Health Investment Zone practitioner." To qualify, a practitioner must be licensed or certified to treat patients in the Zone, provide primary care, behavioral health, or dental services, and participate in Medicare or state Medicaid. That definition would decide who can get grants, extra Medicare payments, loan repayment, and tax incentives under the program.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in