Health Investment Zones Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a national program to designate contiguous Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes. Designated zones would get grants, employer tax incentives, student loan repayment, and extra Medicare Part B payments to strengthen local care.
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- Communities and families: Eligible areas must show measurable disparities, for example average income below 150 percent of the federal poverty level or lower life expectancy. Designated zones last 10 years and can receive grants for clinics, mobile units, patient transportation, healthy food access, language services, and facility upgrades.
- Health workers and employers: Employers would get new hiring and wage tax incentives, including a 30 percent credit for wages paid to certified HIZ workers. The bill also creates a student loan repayment program that can pay up to $100,000 per practitioner to recruit and retain clinicians in HIZs.
- Providers and Medicare patients: Medicare Part B services furnished in HIZs would get a 10 percent add-on payment. Freestanding physician offices and community health centers would get an extra 5 percent for those services, and annual wellness visits and related chronic care services would get another 10 percent boost.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Loan repayment for HIZ clinicians
If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary pay student loan principal and interest for clinicians who work full time in a Health Investment Zone. Payments would be limited to $10,000 per year and $100,000 total, and no more than 10 years of payments could be made. Payments would count toward other federal forgiveness programs but cannot be paid twice for the same service or for loans already forgiven.
Refundable wage credit for HIZ workers
If enacted, the bill would create a refundable tax credit equal to 30% of wages for qualified Health Investment Zone work. You would be able to claim the credit for wages earned after enactment if your principal place of employment while earning those wages is inside a HIZ. The credit would lower tax bills and could produce refunds for eligible workers.
Employer hiring credit for HIZ workers
If enacted, the bill would let employers claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for newly hired qualified HIZ workers. The worker must be certified by a designated local agency and must start work after enactment. The credit would apply to qualified first‑year wages under the existing Work Opportunity Credit rules.
Extra Medicare payments in HIZs
If enacted, the bill would add extra Medicare Part B payments for services given inside Health Investment Zones. Providers would get an added 10% on most Part B payments. Freestanding doctor offices or independent clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers in HIZs would get an extra 5%. Certain preventive and chronic care services, including annual wellness visits and diabetes training, would get a separate 10% add‑on.
New Health Investment Zones Program
If enacted, the bill would create Health Investment Zones (HIZs) to target long‑running help for high‑need, contiguous areas. The Secretary would solicit applications within 1 year and designate zones within 2 years. Designated groups could get grants to carry out plans and the government could appropriate money for the 10‑year HIZ window. The bill would define which providers count as HIZ practitioners and allow grantees to award subgrants to eligible local practitioners, with each subgrant capped at the smaller of $5,000,000 or 50% of eligible project costs.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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