# 119-hr-7496: Health Investment Zones Act of 2026 119-hr-7496, Health Investment Zones Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7496 - As of: 2026-04-21 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-7496 - Congress: 119 - Title: Health Investment Zones Act of 2026 - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2026-02-11 - Sponsor: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA) - Cosponsors: 0 - Policy area: Taxation - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-04-21 ## 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. - 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. ## Provisions PRIA read - Student Loan Help for Zone Clinicians: benefit, high. 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 towa… - 30% Wage Tax Credit for Zone Workers: benefit, high. 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 af… - Tax Credit for Hiring Zone Staff: benefit, high. 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… - New Health Investment Zones Program: benefit, medium. 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 s… - Higher Medicare Pay in Zones: benefit, low. 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… - Who Counts as a Zone Clinician: benefit, low. 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… ## Related bills - 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act - 119-hr-1923: Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025 - 119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act - 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 - 119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026 - 119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025 ## Sources - [119-hr-7496 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7496) ## Related - [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973) - [119-hr-1923: Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1923) - [119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3069) - [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725) - [119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7853) - [119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4317) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7496 (as of 2026-04-21).