# 119-hr-9488: Health Disparity Zones Act of 2026

119-hr-9488, Health Disparity Zones Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-22).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9488
- As of: 2026-08-22
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9488
- Congress: 119
- Title: Health Disparity Zones Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-25
- Sponsor: Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-22

## Summary

**Health Disparity Zones** would concentrate grants, tax incentives, loan repayment, and a Medicare payment boost in small, high-need areas to shrink racial, ethnic, and geographic health gaps. Designations would last 10 fiscal years and target contiguous census-tract or ZIP Code areas that meet poverty and other health-need tests.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Loan repayment for HDZ clinicians: benefit, high. If enacted, HHS would run a loan repayment program for eligible Health Disparity Zone practitioners. Payments would not exceed $10,000 per year, $100,000 total, and no more than 10 years. To qualify you would need to be a licensed clinician with eligible federally funded or guaranteed loans and agr…
- Health Disparity Zone wage credit: benefit, high. If enacted, you would be able to claim a tax credit equal to 40 percent of wages you earn doing qualified Health Disparity Zone work. The credit would apply to wages paid after enactment. Your principal place of employment while earning those wages would have to be inside a designated Health Dispar…
- Employer hiring credit for HDZ workers: benefit, high. If enacted, employers would be able to claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit when they hire certified Health Disparity Zone workers. The credit would apply to first-year wages paid to employees who begin work after enactment. The worker must be certified as having a principal place of employment in…
- Higher Medicare pay in Health Disparity Zones: benefit, medium. If enacted, Medicare Part B payments would be increased by 10 percent for items and services furnished in a Health Disparity Zone during that zone's 10-year designation period. The increase would begin on the first day an area is designated and end on the last day of the fiscal year that is 10 fisc…
- New Health Disparity Zones Program: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Secretary of HHS would run a 10-year place-based Health Disparity Zones program. The Secretary would start taking applications within 12 months and must designate zones within 18 months. Eligible areas would be one contiguous census tract or ZIP Code in an OMB metro or micropolitan…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-2945: Housing for All Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-9488 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9488)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6900)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-2945: Housing for All Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2945)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9488 (as of 2026-08-22).