# 119-hr-7686: Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act

119-hr-7686, Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] (R-GA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7686
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7686
- Congress: 119
- Title: Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-02-25
- Sponsor: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] (R-GA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**This bill would create federal recognition of locum tenens clinicians as independent contractors** for certain federal laws and programs, rather than employees. It targets temporary clinicians working up to 1 year at a single site and directs federal agencies, including HHS, to apply the rule for program participation and compliance. - Locum tenens clinicians: It would classify qualifying temporary clinicians as independent contractors when they provide services for up to 1 continuous year under a written agreement. Covered clinician types include physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. - Health care facilities and contracting agencies: Those entities would not be treated as employers for these services unless they explicitly agree in writing to an employer-employee relationship. - Federal laws and programs: The classification would apply for purposes of laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, ERISA, the Public Health Service Act, and HHS programs that determine employment status. - Limits and safeguards: The bill does not change State licensure or scope-of-practice rules and does not alter tax treatment, Social Security wage definitions, unemployment program eligibility, or Medicare and Medicaid eligibility or reimbursement.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2] (R-FL), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Social Security rules stay the same: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would not change how Social Security counts wages or self-employment income or how benefits are calculated under title II. Your benefit calculations and earnings records would stay the same. This protection applies to services performed after enactment.
- Medicare and Medicaid protections kept: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would not change eligibility for participation in or reimbursement under Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federally supported health program. Your coverage and provider payment rules would stay the same for services after enactment.
- Unemployment rules remain unchanged: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would not affect eligibility for, benefit calculations under, or employer contributions to any Federal or State unemployment compensation program. Unemployment benefits and contribution rules would stay the same for services after enactment.
- Federal tax rules would not change: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would not change how the Internal Revenue Code is applied. Payroll taxes (FICA), unemployment taxes (FUTA), withholding, and self-employment tax rules would stay the same for services after enactment.
- New contractor rules for locum clinicians: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would treat qualifying locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners as independent contractors for several federal employment and civil-rights laws. To qualify, you would have to be a listed licensed practitioner, work at a single site for no more than one continuous year…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025
- 119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act
- 119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act
- 119-hr-9211: Jewish American Security Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-7686 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7686)

## Related
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4317)
- [119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-137)
- [119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3633)
- [119-hr-9211: Jewish American Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9211)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7686 (as of 2026-09-21).