Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would center federal health policy on expanding access and closing disparities by making health equity a cross‑cutting requirement and by boosting coverage, nutrition, workforce, and data systems. It pairs new demographic data standards with large program expansions for children, seniors, noncitizens, and priority diseases.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
163 provisions identified: 150 benefits, 1 costs, 12 mixed.
Extend SSI to U.S. territories
If enacted, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) would be extended to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa by treating those territories as States for SSI. United States nationals would be treated like citizens for SSI. The change would take effect on the first day of the first federal fiscal year that begins at least one year after enactment. The Social Security Commissioner could waive or modify some SSI rules to fit territory needs.
End pre-death Medicaid estate liens
If enacted, the bill would bar states from placing liens on a person's property before death for Medicaid medical assistance, except for court judgments for incorrectly paid benefits. It would also prohibit recovery of Medicaid payments that were correctly paid under a State plan. This would reduce the risk that Medicaid recipients or their heirs face estate claims for properly paid benefits.
Federal fallback coverage for uninsured
If enacted, HHS would set up a federal fallback health plan for low‑income adults in states that did not expand Medicaid. Eligible people would get coverage with no premiums and Medicaid‑style limits on deductibles and cost‑sharing. The Secretary would begin the program as soon as possible after enactment and Congress would fund it each year starting FY2027.
Free HIV prevention and funding boost
If enacted, Medicaid would be required to cover HIV prevention drugs, related labs, and follow‑up with no cost‑sharing starting January 1, 2027. Medicare Part B would also cover HIV prevention services and pay 100% of the allowable charge so beneficiaries would not owe coinsurance. The bill authorizes large Minority AIDS Initiative funding (about $610 million for fiscal year 2027) and expands HRSA workforce grants for HIV prevention and care from 2027 through 2030.
Health and reentry help for inmates
If enacted, the Justice Department would run grants (authorized $10 million per year FY2027–FY2031) to expand perinatal services, mental health, substance-use treatment, nutrition, and reentry supports for pregnant and postpartum people in state and local prisons and jails. The Bureau of Prisons would run maternal health programs in at least six facilities within 18 months and a five-year period, and a prison dental demonstration would train alternative dental providers. States could automatically enroll or reinstate Medicaid for eligible people upon release if the person gives affirmative consent; this change takes effect 180 days after enactment.
Higher Medicaid payments and clinic services
If enacted, Medicaid would have to pay at least 100% of Medicare Part B rates for defined primary care services starting the month after enactment, and HHS could raise rates up to 25% more in rural or shortage areas. If enacted, community health centers would get full clinic reimbursement for added mental and dental services, and FQHCs could add behavioral health consultants, peer support, and case management (some changes begin October 1, 2026). If enacted, the 100% federal match for Urban Indian Organizations and Native Hawaiian clinic services would continue without the prior time limit.
HIV prevention and clinician loan aid
If enacted, FEHB plans would have to cover FDA-approved HIV prevention drugs (PrEP/PEP), related labs, and follow-up with no cost-sharing, and HIPAA rules would be amended so family-plan users can keep use confidential. HHS would work to put proven HIV awareness and linkage strategies into Medicaid, the Ryan White program, and Exchange plans and must report within a year. The bill would also create an HIV/AIDS provider loan repayment program that pays 30% of an individual's professional education loans after year 1, 30% after year 2, and 25% after year 3 for clinicians who serve at qualifying Ryan White or Title X sites (service obligation of at least 2 years).
More care for pregnant and postpartum
If enacted, hospitals would have to make and explain discharge plans for patients identified as pregnant starting January 1, 2027. If enacted, Medicaid protections would preserve current pregnancy eligibility rules for five years and states would have to cover dental care for pregnant people (effective about one year after enactment). If enacted, HHS would fund grants and demonstrations (including maternal mental health grants at $25 million per year FY2027–FY2030 and a $100 million climate grants pool for FY2027–FY2030) and create a Task Force to build a federal maternal social‑services strategy.
More federal match for health care
If enacted, several Medicaid and Medicare financing rules would change to increase federal funding and reduce some out‑of‑pocket costs. Examples: the federal share would be 100% for certain Medicare cost‑sharing for newly eligible groups starting January 1, 2027; QMB income eligibility would rise to 135% of the poverty line with three‑month retroactive coverage; temporary enhanced FMAP add‑ons would be larger and last longer in some cases; Medicaid dental spending would get 100% FMAP for 12 quarters beginning January 1, 2028; postpartum Medicaid/CHIP care would get a 100% then 90% enhanced FMAP schedule for a defined 305‑day period starting about one year after enactment. The bill also raises FMAPs for outreach, rural obstetric/gynecologic services, tobacco cessation, and sets special territorial match rules.
More Medicaid maternal and dental care
If enacted, Medicaid and CHIP would be required to provide full benefits during pregnancy and for 12 months postpartum starting the first calendar quarter one year after enactment. The bill would add adult dental and oral health services as a required Medicaid benefit for adults effective for calendar quarters beginning January 1, 2028, and it lets States add other dental services at their option. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation would get funds and requirements to test equity-focused maternal and child models, including doula payment models and pregnancy-related payment demonstrations, and HHS would run maternity care home grants to at least 10 States.
More mental health help for students
If enacted, the bill would fund large grants to expand school‑based and youth mental health services. It would authorize $300 million per year for FY2027–FY2030 for school‑based mental health grants and create grants for care coordination for children 0–5 ($15 million per year for five years). The bill would also fund pediatric behavioral health integration, a public campaign to reduce sudden infant/child deaths, childhood trauma data grants, oral health literacy outreach, and transition‑age youth mental‑health grants ($25 million per year FY2027–FY2036). Grants must be culturally appropriate and prioritize high‑need and rural communities.
More school meals and SNAP help
If enacted, the bill would reduce household food costs through several changes. Schools participating in federal meal programs would be reimbursed for delinquent meal debt and paid within 180 days after the effective date. SNAP changes include an Elderly Simplified Application Program with 36‑month certifications, a Combined Application Program option for SSA recipients, an outreach pilot ($12.25 million appropriated), a $155 standard medical deduction for elderly or disabled SNAP members in FY2027 (indexed thereafter), and a national SNAP delivery reimbursement program with $500 million per year starting FY2027 to pay up to $10 per delivery. A small pilot would fund local farm‑to‑provider procurement.
New Medicare cost help program
If enacted, the bill would create a Medicare Cost Assistance Program (MCAP) starting January 1, 2027 to help pay Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and certain shortfalls for eligible people. Eligible groups include people who were already getting Medicaid payment of Medicare cost sharing as of December 31, 2026 and people entitled to Part A with household income at or below 200% of the poverty line. The bill would also let States adopt a 12-month treatment of some Medicare Savings Program categories and would transfer $50 million per year from Medicare trust funds for State SHIP outreach grants for FY2027–FY2031.
No‑cost HIV prevention and outreach
If enacted, group and individual private plans, FEHB, Medicaid/CHIP, Medicare Parts B and D, and federal programs would have to cover FDA‑approved HIV prevention drugs (PrEP/PEP), related labs, and follow‑up without cost sharing. The bill would also authorize community grants to reduce HIV in minority communities, require IHS and tribal health programs to fund FDA‑approved HIV prevention drugs and services, strengthen Bureau of Prisons HIV testing/treatment and reentry supplies, and fund state projects to link public health surveillance with electronic health records with strong privacy rules.
Same‑day emergency contraception and youth care
If enacted, hospitals would have to offer and, if accepted, give emergency contraception and HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) same day and without regard to ability to pay for anyone seen on or after January 1, 2027. HRSA would produce information for providers about emergency contraception and authorize funding for that work for FY2027–FY2031. HHS would also run a 5‑year grant program to expand confidential, culturally appropriate sexual health services for marginalized young people.
New scholarships and short stipends
If enacted, HHS and CDC programs would give direct money to students entering public health, mental health, and perinatal nursing careers. New scholarships include Louis Stokes awards up to $20,000 per year (up to 4 years) and $10,000 per year grants for eligible mental health graduate students. Short internships and fellowships could pay up to $50 per day (internships) or up to $100 per day for short programs, and an international fellowship would pay up to $8,000. The bill also creates a large behavioral health scholarship program funded at $75 million per year for 2027–2031 and a $15 million per year perinatal nursing grant program for 2027–2031.
Training and loan relief for health workers
If enacted, the bill would fund many grants, scholarships, and loan‑repayment programs to grow and diversify the health workforce. Eligible dentists, medical students, and clinicians could get loan payments (for example, a new dental program pays 30% of loan balance after year 1, 30% after year 2, and 25% after year 3). NHSC and related programs would ensure at least $50,000 per year in loan repayment for eligible underrepresented minority awardees during 2027–2031. New programs would pay up to $50,000 per year (plus inflation adjustment) for clinicians serving rare disease populations and create grants to help internationally educated, legally authorized clinicians get U.S. jobs. The Secretary could also fund medical school expansion, workforce‑diversity grants, and other pipeline programs.
Large disease research and prevention funding
If enacted, the bill would provide major funding for public health and research programs. Examples include $500 million to CDC for antimicrobial stewardship (available until expended); $50 million per year for CDC social determinants grants for FY2027–FY2032; multi‑year hepatitis, liver, lung, and prostate cancer research and prevention grants (with specified annual authorizations); and expanded CDC work on sleep and circadian disorders.
More health workforce and hospital support
If enacted, HRSA would get a multi‑year Health Professions Workforce Fund with specified annual amounts for FY2027–FY2034 to expand health and nursing workforce programs. The bill would also designate centers of excellence at hospitals serving many minority patients, fund pediatric behavioral health infrastructure, create culturally appropriate mental health curricula and certification, and fund quality improvement for Pacific Islander and insular area health systems.
More Medicaid money for U.S. territories
If enacted, the Medicaid annual funding cap for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa would be removed starting in fiscal year 2027. For FY2027, the territories' DSH allotment would come from a $300 million pool split among territories by their share of low‑income or uninsured residents.
New rules to standardize demographic data
If enacted, HHS would require standardized, disaggregated fields for race, ethnicity (with subgroups), sex, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, and socioeconomic status in HIPAA claims and federally supported health programs. Agencies must use culturally appropriate collection, let people select multiple races/ethnicities, disaggregate data unless statistically unreliable, and prohibit asking about immigration status. Entities would get time to adopt the standards after rulemaking.
Stronger civil rights in health
If enacted, federally funded health programs and executive-branch health activities would be barred from denying or limiting services because of race, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), pregnancy, disability, or similar traits. The bill would create a stronger HHS civil rights office and let people sue in federal court after agency steps or 180 days. It would treat Medicare payments to providers as 'grants' for civil-rights law, expanding nondiscrimination duties for Medicare-funded providers. HHS would rename its civil-rights office to emphasize health equity and the Director would be Senate-appointed.
Big nursing and midwifery education grants
If enacted, HRSA and other agencies would get large new grants to grow the health workforce. The bill authorizes $1 billion (to remain available until expended) for nursing school grants. It also authorizes fellowship awards (up to $25,000 per academic year), climate‑training grants ($5 million per year FY2027–2030), $20 million for nurse‑midwifery program support across FY2027–FY2031, and $15 million for Title VII midwifery grants across FY2027–FY2031. Grants prioritize underserved, shortage, and minority‑serving institutions.
More mental health and school support
If enacted, the bill would fund programs to grow the mental health workforce and expand school services. A mental‑health workforce initiative would get $50 million per year from FY2027–FY2037. Community mental wellness training grants would be authorized at $25 million per year for FY2027–FY2031, with 20% for training and technical assistance. The Department of Education would get $100 million per year for FY2027–FY2031 to help hire and keep school social workers at a target ratio of one per 250 students. Additional funds would expand school‑based mental health staffing over FY2027–FY2031. States would also have new reporting and outreach rules for minority mental health services.
Medicare add-on for antibiotics
This bill would create an extra Medicare payment for hospital discharges that use Secretary-designated DISARM antimicrobial drugs. Hospitals must meet reporting and stewardship rules to qualify. The Secretary must publish the list of designated drugs by October 1, 2026 and payments would apply for discharges on or after October 1, 2027 unless the Secretary sets an earlier date.
Higher federal taxes on tobacco
If enacted, federal excise taxes on many tobacco products would rise and be restructured. Examples include new dollar rates for cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco, inflation indexing for amounts after 2026, and a one‑time floor‑stocks tax on inventories. Some product categories get phased effective dates and Treasury would set rules for other tobacco products. These changes would likely raise retail tobacco prices.
More health and food help for immigrants
If enacted, the bill would let States get federal payment for lawfully present children under 21 and pregnant people (including 12‑month postpartum coverage) and would change Medicare rules to refer to people lawfully present upon enactment. If enacted, SNAP would be available to people who are lawfully present, and people granted federally authorized presence would be treated as lawfully present for Marketplace eligibility and subsidies (with a required special enrollment period). At the same time, the bill removes a specific Medicaid 'express lane' rule, which may narrow a streamlined eligibility route.
Lower premiums and tax credit rules
If enacted, the premium tax credit schedule would be rewritten for taxable years after December 31, 2026 with much lower applicable percentages at low and middle incomes (for example, 0% up to 150% of poverty and small sliding percentages up to 8.5% above 300% of poverty). The bill also says an employee is not treated as eligible for minimum essential coverage for premium credit purposes if their employer plan does not cover language access services; that employer‑plan rule applies to plans starting on or after enactment.
Stronger civil rights and language access
If enacted, the bill would strengthen civil‑rights enforcement and language access across federal agencies. Agencies would have to enforce disparate‑impact rules, HHS would rename and elevate its civil‑rights office, and OFCCP must resume full contractor equal‑employment enforcement. Agencies must consult LEP communities, name a Language Access Coordinator, translate vital materials, train staff, and file plans with the Attorney General. The Attorney General would run a public LEP complaint system and agencies would have 60 days to respond to complaints.
National health equity data and payment plan
If enacted, HHS would require disaggregated demographic reporting, set up a centralized public disparities data repository, and require daily disaggregated pandemic reporting within 60 days of an emergency declaration. The Secretary would publish a Pay for Equity strategy within 18 months to add equity measures into federal payment models and may tie a share of reimbursement to equity performance. HHS would also create a Health Equity Advisory Committee and run a disparities education program.
Clear language access and AI limits
If enacted, federal agencies would have to create technical standards for language access within one year and certify compliance yearly. Agencies could not fully replace qualified human translators with AI; any AI use would need human verification, public disclosure, privacy protections, anti‑bias testing, and biennial audits. Group health plans and issuers would have to provide oral interpretation for appeals with no threshold and include prominent multi‑language notices explaining how to get language help.
Insurers cannot penalize PrEP users
If enacted, life, disability, and long‑term care insurers would be banned from denying or limiting coverage, conditioning issuance on stopping HIV prevention medication, or using PrEP use to set premiums. State insurance regulators could enforce these rules to the extent state law allows.
Better language and tech access in health
If enacted, health programs that get federal money would have to make electronic systems accessible and nondiscriminatory so people are not excluded based on race, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The Department of Education would get $250 million per year for FY2027–FY2031 to fund free ESL classes for people with limited English, including health‑care English instruction. Grantees must not supplant other federal, state, or local funds, and the Secretary would report on program needs and spending.
Clear ACA rules for Indian people
The bill would add a Title I definition of 'Indian' that covers Tribal members, certain urban Indian residents, Alaska Natives, and other individuals the Secretary finds eligible. It would update related Indian Health Care Improvement Act rules to include urban Indian organizations and preserve certain Community Health Aide Program funding and scope.
Diaper and menstrual aid funding
If enacted, the bill would provide $200 million each year for diaper assistance for FY2027 through FY2030 to States for purchase and distribution to low-income families with children under 4 who self-certify income at or below 200% of the poverty line. The bill would also authorize $10 million per year starting FY2027 in competitive TANF grants to help covered TANF families buy menstrual products. Funds provided would generally be disregarded when determining eligibility for other federal needs-based programs.
Easier access to contraception and planning
If enacted, pharmacies that usually stock contraceptives would have to give them quickly or arrange a prompt transfer beginning 31 days after enactment, and violations could bring civil penalties and private lawsuits. If enacted, HHS and CDC would award grants to publicly funded clinics to implement quality family planning guidelines and run outreach within 180 days. If enacted, CDC would run a pregnancy intention screening demonstration with $10 million per year authorized for FY2027–FY2031.
Easier Medicare enrollment after incarceration
If enacted, people who were incarcerated when they first qualified for Medicare would get a six‑month special enrollment period starting the day they are released. Months a person was in custody would be treated as having a $0 Medicare premium. States could also opt to use Express Lane rules to speed determinations for Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QDWI).
Expanded asthma tracking and help
If enacted, the bill would expand a CDC asthma program for education, state planning, and surveillance. CDC would publish annual asthma data by State and county, broken down by age, sex, race, and for adults by job and industry. The section authorizes $65 million for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to support the program and requires reports to Congress.
Free school and childcare meals
If enacted, schools that participate in federal meal programs would provide free breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students. The bill would ban breakfast shaming and forbid schools from denying meals for unpaid debt. CACFP meals and supplements would be free to participants and providers would be reimbursed at the free rates and $1.20 per supplement (indexed). The Summer Food Service Program would cover all children and payments would be allowed for more days. The law would also strike reduced‑price meal language and repeal an older Special Assistance Program.
Free tobacco-cessation care in Medicaid/CHIP
If enacted, Medicaid and CHIP would be barred from charging deductibles, coinsurance, or other cost‑sharing for counseling and drugs to help people quit tobacco. If enacted, Medicaid could not require prior authorization for smoking cessation drugs or agents.
Funding authority for AIDS drug programs
If enacted, the bill would extend authorization for funding needed to carry out AIDS Drug Assistance Program treatment provisions for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030. The statute does not set dollar totals but would allow appropriations to continue ADAP services that help people get HIV medications.
Grants for HIV prevention and syringes
This bill would authorize HHS to fund syringe services and other evidence-based programs to reduce HIV among people who inject drugs. It would allow grants for sterile syringes, testing, overdose prevention, and treatment and permit the Secretary to transfer up to 1% of discretionary HIV-related funding to the Ending the HIV Epidemic program with 30 days' notice to Congress.
Language services become required health benefit
This bill would add language access services, including oral interpretation and written translation, to the list of essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Health plans that must cover essential health benefits would have to cover language services for plan years beginning on or after enactment.
Language, translation, and privacy rules
If enacted, federally funded health programs would have to follow CLAS standards, give free language assistance at all points of contact, train staff annually, and provide easy-to-read materials for language groups meeting size thresholds. The bill would start Medicare and Medicaid language-access demonstrations and interpreter pilots (three States from Oct 1, 2026 through Sept 30, 2029) and require EHR systems to let patients access records in the top 10 non‑English languages (rulemaking deadlines set). HHS must also study who lacks health and dental insurance and may not share that data for immigration enforcement.
Longer postpartum and maternal supports
The bill would extend WIC postpartum coverage and maternal supports. WIC postpartum eligibility would increase from 6 months to 24 months after birth. States could elect 2‑year postpartum certification. Title V funds could be used to reduce stillbirth and support follow‑up care. The law would preserve each State's 2014 pregnancy income percentage for Medicaid eligibility and require hospitals to notify HHS 90 days before closing any obstetric unit. The WISEWOMAN screening program is reauthorized with specific annual grant amounts for FY2027–FY2031.
Medicaid and CHIP telehealth guidance
If enacted, HHS must issue guidance to States within one year to increase telehealth access under Medicaid and CHIP, including billing recommendations, licensing and credentialing alignment, and examples of waiver uses. MACPAC and the Comptroller General must also conduct specified telehealth impact studies and reports within one year. The guidance aims to reduce barriers and improve telehealth billing and delivery for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.
Medicaid outreach, clinics, and doulas
If enacted, Medicaid's clinic services definition would explicitly include services given outside clinics to people without a permanent home and services from Indian Health Service and tribal or urban Indian organizations. CMS would have to issue guidance to States on covering doula services and on paying doulas at rates that allow a living wage, with stakeholder consultation and timing tied to a MACPAC report.
Medicare access and demos
If enacted, the bill would fund and test a range of Medicare access and care changes. The Secretary must run at least nine cancer disparity demonstrations and evaluate them, encourage multistate telehealth practice for Medicare telehealth services, and do outreach about Medicare occupational therapy billing for substance use and mental health within one year. For some rural community hospital outpatient services, the bill changes Part B cost-sharing rules (some services would have no cost-sharing, others follow hospital or physician rules).
Medicare dental and oral coverage
If enacted, Medicare would explicitly include dental and oral health services as covered items. The bill defines which dental services are included and embeds them in Medicare coverage rules, expanding access to dental care for people on Medicare.
More community providers and language access
If enacted, health plans (including marketplace, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care) must add more essential community providers to their networks, raising each plan's 2023 ECP share by 10% each year until hitting targets. Qualified Health Plan network rules would also have to consider whether providers can offer care in languages other than English or have a qualified interpreter during office hours.
More grocery and senior nutrition help
If enacted, SNAP rules would change so some households get more stable help. The 3‑month time limit for able‑bodied adults without dependents would be removed. SNAP certification would last 36 months instead of 24. The SNAP allotment formula would change (replace 8% with one‑third), which could raise monthly benefits for many households. Puerto Rico could apply to join SNAP and would get temporary block grants while the plan is reviewed, plus a one‑time $112.5 million IT grant for transition. The Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program would get minimum funding ($60M in FY2027, $70M in FY2028, $100M in FY2029–FY2031) and individual benefits of $35–$80. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program would add low‑income adults with disabilities and get $10M per year for FY2027–FY2031.
More help for pregnant and new parents
If enacted, the bill would fund new programs to help pregnant and postpartum people. USDA grants ($5 million authorized for FY2027–FY2031) would deliver healthy food, formula, clean water, or diapers in USDA food deserts. HHS and CDC actions would encourage postpartum follow-up after gestational diabetes, update family planning guidance within 180 days, and issue intimate‑partner‑violence guidance within two years. The bill would also fund perinatal collaboratives ($35 million per year for FY2027–FY2031) and targeted community grants for maternal health, including $10 million per year for grants focused on Black pregnant and postpartum people.
More HIV prevention grants and coverage
If enacted, the government would set up grants to expand access to PrEP and PEP within one year. If enacted, Medicaid benchmark plans would have to include HIV prevention services beginning January 1, 2027. If enacted, CHIP would be required to cover HIV prevention and ban cost-sharing for those services starting January 1, 2027.
More language and culturally‑appropriate care
If enacted, HHS would fund competitive grants to improve culturally and linguistically appropriate services (authorized $5 million per year for 2027–2031). The bill would also create a Robert T. Matsui Center to provide free translations, interpreter links, and a toll‑free line tied to 1‑800‑MEDICARE, and require a culturally appropriate behavioral health outreach strategy for racial and ethnic minority groups with a public report within one year.
More language and enrollment help
If enacted, the bill would make it easier for people with limited English to apply for coverage and get help. The Marketplace application would collect each household member's preferred spoken and written language, and hotlines would report language‑assistance requests and wait times. HHS would also fund community health worker grants to help outreach, enrollment, and referrals in underserved and language‑isolated communities.
More maternal health research and grants
If enacted, the bill would fund research and grants to improve care for pregnant and postpartum people. It would authorize $5 million a year for gestational diabetes research and $5 million a year for related demonstration grants for fiscal years 2027–2031. It would provide $10 million per year for maternal mortality review community grants (FY2027–FY2031) and reserve at least $1.5 million of that each year for Tribal groups. The bill would also fund grants to help victims of violence and require studies of AI/AN maternal mortality and violence as a maternal health determinant.
More Medicare telehealth sites, fewer fees
If enacted, Medicare would allow more telehealth visits to start from a patient's home and let the Secretary add other originating sites. The bill also expands the statutory ban on an originating‑site facility fee to cover those sites, lowering potential facility charges for telehealth originating locations.
More quit-smoking help in Medicaid
If enacted, Medicaid and CHIP would be required to cover comprehensive tobacco cessation services, including counseling and FDA-approved medicines, and States must do outreach to promote those services. CHIP plans would also be required to cover cessation counseling and pharmacotherapy upon enactment. These steps reduce out-of-pocket costs and increase awareness for people on Medicaid or CHIP who want to quit tobacco.
More support for maternity care
This bill would fund regional centers to train providers on implicit bias and respectful maternity care and require the Office on Women's Health to focus on maternity care priorities. HHS would run a four-year, culturally tailored maternity education campaign and award grants to hospitals and clinics to create respectful maternity care programs that let patients report bias. The bill would require Medicaid guidance on doula coverage within one year and fund drop-in child care grants for prenatal and postpartum appointments (authorized $5 million for FY2027–FY2029). It would also create a birth defects prevention program with escalating authorizations from $5M in FY2027 to $9M in FY2031.
More support for rural health care
If enacted, the bill would create a new rural community hospital designation for qualifying rural hospitals and fund rural health grants to build networks, expand services, and improve quality. It would also fund four‑year telehealth pilots focused on prostate cancer that prioritize medically underserved, tribal, and rural areas and require evaluation of clinical and cost outcomes.
New Alzheimer's clinics in underserved areas
If enacted, federally funded Alzheimer’s grants and cooperative agreements would be used to establish diagnostic and treatment clinics for minority, rural, and other underserved communities. NIH would also make grants to locate new Alzheimer’s research centers in areas with higher concentrations of minority groups beginning January 1, 2027.
New grants for community mental health
This bill would fund multi-year grants to expand culturally appropriate trauma support and integrated behavioral health teams in community clinics and health centers. Grants would prioritize areas with high community trauma and require some funds be used for loan forgiveness for mental health practitioners. The program authorizations include $20 million per year for targeted grant programs (FY2027–FY2031).
New lung cancer detection funding
If enacted, the bill would fund a Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Program with $75 million for fiscal year 2027 and allow further funding for 2028–2029. The FY2027 money is split across NIH institutes and CDC for airway biology, imaging and bioengineering, environmental research, and an early‑disease program. The bill would also create a CDC early detection and management program focused on high‑risk minority and low‑income communities.
New Medicare preventive and services
If enacted, Medicare would cover more preventive tests and services. The initial "Welcome to Medicare" exam would include PAD (peripheral artery disease) screening and PAD screens for at‑risk people would have no Part B deductible with full Medicare payment. Medicare would cover FDA‑approved multi‑cancer early detection tests (but not if you had one in the prior 11 months). The bill would also let more types of clinicians provide intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, add acupuncture coverage after 270 days, expand medical nutrition therapy for many conditions starting January 1, 2027, and allow certain supervised midwife trainee services in inpatient billing.
NIH-funded clinical trials expense help
If enacted, sponsors of NIH-funded clinical trials would have to set rules and reimburse participant expenses (missed salary, childcare, food, lodging, travel, language assistance) using non‑NIH funds and pay eligible reimbursements within 30 days. Sponsors must report reimbursements annually and NIH would publish aggregate data. The bill also creates a safe harbor allowing remuneration to promote trial participation where it supports equitable inclusion; trials already ongoing at enactment are exempt.
Oral health required in plans
If enacted, the bill would add oral health services for children and adults to the list of required Essential Health Benefits. The HHS Secretary would define which services count so individual and small‑group market plans must cover them once defined. This would likely reduce out‑of‑pocket dental costs for enrollees when implemented.
Part D drug help for territories
If enacted, for plan years beginning January 1, 2027, people in U.S. territories who are eligible for Medicare Part D and also enrolled in territory Medicaid would be treated as eligible for Part D premium and cost‑sharing subsidies. The change names Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa as territories covered.
Part D may cover obesity drugs
If enacted, Medicare Part D plans would be allowed to cover prescription drugs to treat obesity or for weight‑loss management for eligible beneficiaries. This change would apply to Part D plan years beginning two years after enactment, and actual out‑of‑pocket effects would depend on individual Part D formularies and cost‑sharing.
Permanent funding for CHIP allotments
If enacted, federal CHIP allotment funding would become permanently authorized starting in fiscal year 2029. This aims to keep state CHIP funding stable each year after 2028 and removes an expiration risk for the program's allotments.
Protections for low‑income Medicare users
If enacted, Medicaid payments that cover your Medicare copays or coinsurance would not count as income or assets for other public benefits. Providers could not deny or condition care because someone is a QMB, SLMB, or gets Medicaid help with Medicare cost‑sharing. States must let some providers bill Medicaid for Medicare cost‑sharing even if the provider lacks a State provider agreement. The bill also expands guaranteed Medigap availability and creates a one‑time enrollment window from January 1 through June 30, 2027, and it removes Medicare coinsurance for certain colorectal screening tests for 2027 and after.
Stronger patient protections and safety rules
If enacted, the bill would define "inequitable health care" for enforcement and expand remedies for harmed patients. It would make negligent failure to get or provide immediate medical attention to people in Federal custody a federal offense and require IG investigations and training. During declared public health emergencies, nursing homes would have to submit monthly reports with resident demographic details.
Housing help for pregnant and new moms
If enacted, HUD would create a "Housing for Moms" grant program to help low-income pregnant and postpartum people get or keep safe housing. Grantees could provide outreach, connect people to housing options, and give direct financial help during pregnancy and postpartum. The bill would authorize $10 million for fiscal year 2027, available until spent. Grantees must report publicly each year and HUD would evaluate program results.
Changes to J-1 physician waivers and noncitizen benefits
If enacted, the bill would ease some rules for J-1 physicians and restore certain noncitizen benefit access. It would allow exceptions to the 3-year Conrad service requirement in cases like employer violations, permit short J-1 status extensions when States exhaust waiver slots, and create an adjustment-of-status pathway when agencies request it. The bill would also change PRWORA section 115 language to restore some benefits for affected noncitizens.
Grants to expand health training programs
If enacted, HHS would give many grants to colleges and health schools to grow training in maternal care, pediatric behavioral health, nephrology, osteoarthritis care, sleep health, and other areas. Minority‑serving institutions could get planning grants (up to $400,000 per year) and long implementation grants (up to $1,000,000 per year) to build maternity programs. Other grants would fund online public health degree capacity, pipeline supports for underrepresented students, and programs to recruit minority researchers. Recipients must report on outcomes and some grants must reserve funds for scholarships.
Higher summer meal benefits and targets
If enacted, the Summer EBT benefit per eligible child would increase from $40 to $60. The bill would also replace many references to 'free or reduced‑price' with an 'economically disadvantaged students' measure for school and child nutrition programs, and require the Education Department to calculate a state ratio for child care grants each year.
More health workforce funding and training
If enacted, the bill would set funding floors and expand eligibility for various health workforce programs. Examples: it authorizes $3 million per year for the National Health Care Workforce Commission for FY2027–FY2029, makes nephrology eligible for National Health Service Corps scholarships and loan repayment, directs at least $31 million per year for McNair Program projects through FY2031, and requires primary care training to include kidney disease content.
More sex education and free products
If enacted, the federal government would fund and expand age‑appropriate sex education in K–12 schools and colleges. Schools would have to provide free menstrual products to K–12 students and colleges could get grants to supply free products. A new $100 million per year Real Education Grants program (2027–2032) would support K–12, colleges, educator training, services for marginalized youth, and evaluation. The Education Secretary would also get a template survey to help schools identify children from low‑income backgrounds.
Tax ban and funds for menstrual help
If enacted, states and local governments would be barred from charging sales tax on menstrual products starting 120 days after enactment. The bill also sets Social Services Block Grant amounts at $1.9 billion for FY2027–FY2030 and appropriates $200 million per year for FY2027–FY2030 to distribute free menstrual products to low‑income individuals through eligible entities.
More support for rural health clinics
If enacted, Critical Access Hospitals would get more payment flexibility and some ambulance services arranged with a CAH could receive cost‑based Medicare reimbursement starting January 1, 2027. A CAH could meet its 25‑bed rule by electing to cap inpatient days at 7,300 in a cost reporting period, subject to election and withdrawal rules. The Secretary could expand the definition of "medically underserved" to include more urban or rural populations and give priority to assigning Corps members to Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics in shortage areas. HHS could also award grants to health centers to recruit and retain staff.
New provider data, screening, and loans
If enacted, the Quality Payment Program would count implementation of cultural and language services as improvement activities. If enacted, CMS would collect provider race and ethnicity during EHR/MIPS registration. If enacted, AHRQ would develop screening guidance for conditions affecting minority groups within two years. If enacted, CDC loan repayment authority would be restored for fiscal years 2027–2031 so loan repayment programs can be funded if Congress appropriates money.
Money for local farmers' markets
If enacted, the Agriculture Secretary would set up a program using Commodity Credit Corporation funds to give loans, loan guarantees, and grants to create or improve farmers' markets and expand community-supported farms. Grants usually need a 20% non‑Federal match and markets must meet accessibility and local-product rules. The bill would reserve $50 million a year from the CCC for each year 2027 through 2031.
Byrne grant cut for shackling rules
If enacted, any State that gets Byrne JAG grants and does not have statewide laws limiting restraints on pregnant incarcerated people would have its Byrne JAG allocation cut by 25%. The cut would start six months after enactment and apply each year until the State enacts the required law. Money withheld from noncompliant States would go to States that do meet the rule.
Health impact assessments and built environment rules
If enacted, HHS and CDC would publish final guidance within one year on how to do health impact assessments that include equity checks for race, income, age, disability, and place. The bill would add definitions for "built environment" and related health determinants and require HIAs funded under the program to follow the guidance. It would also fund competitive grants to train and evaluate HIA work and share best practices.
More data on heat illness and justice mapping
If enacted, the Labor Department would add heat‑illness questions to the National Agricultural Workers Survey and report to Congress within a year. The bill would also create a federal Environmental Justice Mapping Committee to build an interactive, multi‑layer tool that scores areas by cumulative pollution, health, climate and demographic data. The mapping tool must allow community input, be updated at least yearly, and provide scores at small geographic scales.
More demographic data in Social Security and Medicare
If enacted, the bill would require Social Security to collect detailed demographic data (race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, income, age, and disability) from title II and Medicare applicants. The data must have HIPAA-level privacy safeguards and may not be used to deny benefits for nonresponse. The bill authorizes $500 million for FY2027 and $100 million a year after to carry out this work.
New federal health equity oversight
If enacted, the bill would create stronger federal health equity leadership. It would require Offices of Health Equity at CDC and HRSA and set up a Federal Health Equity Commission to monitor implementation and report to Congress starting in FY2027. The Secretary would keep specified Minority Health offices reporting to top HHS leadership and create an advisory Pay for Equity council to advise payment policy. The bill would also treat the Indian Health Service head as a named Assistant Secretary in federal listings.
Review environmental rules and restore protections
If enacted, the President would ask the National Academy of Sciences to study listed agency rules and give a public report within about 270 days. Agencies named in that report would then have 180 days to send Congress plans to restore or improve the prior public health and environmental protections. The bill also requires an Environmental Justice Mapping advisory council and written explanations when its recommendations are not adopted.
U.S. action on TB and HIV policy reviews
If enacted, the bill would make ending tuberculosis a U.S. foreign assistance priority and authorize the President to furnish TB aid aligned with WHO strategies. The government must report annually to Congress on U.S. TB assistance through 2032 or until goals are met. The Attorney General, HHS, and Defense would also start a national review of HIV criminalization laws and report findings and recommendations within 180 days.
AI bias and electronic record rules
If enacted, HHS would create a Task Force on Preventing AI and Algorithmic Bias in Health Care within 30 days and require a public comment period before the Task Force reports in one year. The bill also defines certified electronic health record technology broadly to include health information infrastructure for interoperability. These steps would study AI risks and clarify what counts as certified EHR technology.
Drug trials must include patient data
If enacted, HHS would require drug and biologic sponsors to collect standardized patient experience data in clinical trials for investigational uses and to include that data in approval or licensing applications filed two years after enactment. HHS must issue final rules within one year to implement this requirement and consider the data when making approval decisions.
Stronger language access and public input
If enacted, agencies would have to accept public rulemaking comments in any language and treat non-English comments the same as English ones. The bill would also treat failures to meet language access rules as discrimination under Title VI, giving the Justice Department and harmed parties stronger enforcement tools. These changes would raise agencies' obligations to people with limited English proficiency.
Higher school meal payments for schools
If enacted, the national average payment for a free school breakfast would be set at $2.80 and a free lunch at $4.63. Those amounts would be raised each year by the change in the food away-from-home CPI. The first CPI adjustment and rounding would occur on July 1, 2027. These set payments would help school food programs serve free meals to all students.
Restore offices and pay withheld awards
If enacted, the bill would authorize whatever sums are needed to restore offices, programs, staff, and data systems to their January 19, 2025 status and to make whole people harmed by prior impoundment or agency actions. It would also allow retroactive payments for grants, contracts, awards, and employee pay that were withheld. The Executive branch could not delay or rescind these funds without following the Impoundment Control Act.
100% match for youth mental health
If enacted, states could get a 100% federal match for certain mental health and substance use services for youth and young adults aged 16–25. The enhanced match would apply for the first 20 fiscal quarters a state meets requirements, starting in the first quarter on or after January 1, 2027. States must show capacity, keep service levels at FY2026 amounts, hire an independent evaluator, and report publicly.
Better maternal data and reviews
If enacted, HHS would review maternal health data and quality measures with stakeholders and publish recommendations within one year. AHRQ must build a public database of maternal and newborn systematic reviews within one year, with initial funding authorized for FY2027–FY2029. HHS would also seek a National Academies study on reducing bias in maternity care, with a report due within two years.
Community health zones and impact assessments
If enacted, the Secretary could designate Health Empowerment Zones and award 2‑year implementation grants (up to 110 zones) with an authorization of $100 million for FY2027. The bill would also fund health impact assessment (HIA) programs at CDC, give capacity grants to States and Tribes to support community HIAs, require public HIA databases, and require planning councils for environmental health assessments in grant projects.
Five rural health demonstration grants
If enacted, HHS would award five grants within 270 days for four‑year demonstration projects to test new rural care and financing models. Projects must be independently evaluated and the Secretary would speed any necessary Medicare or Medicaid waivers. A report to Congress is due one year after all projects end.
Grants and council for social needs
If enacted, HHS and the Administrator would award up to 25 Social Determinants Accelerator planning grants within 180 days and create an interagency Social Determinants Accelerator Council to provide technical help and award guidance. The CDC would stand up a Social Determinants of Health program to fund evidence‑based cross‑sector strategies and prioritize communities with large unmet needs. States must report how they used targeted diaper assistance for fiscal years 2027–2030, and HHS must evaluate program effectiveness within two years.
Grants for kinship caregivers
The bill would add support for kinship caregivers through opioid‑related grants. It would define 'kinship caregiver' and 'kinship care family', extend the authorization period to 2027–2031, and set aside 1 percent of appropriations for services and training for kinship caregivers and families.
Grants to strengthen border health
If enacted, the Secretary would award grants to eligible entities in the U.S.–Mexico border area to fund maternal and child health, primary care, mental health, outreach and enrollment, workforce training, and social‑determinants work. The program is authorized $200 million for fiscal year 2027 and such sums as needed thereafter.
Hospital payments must measure equity
If enacted, the Hospital Value‑Based Purchasing program would add measures on equitable health care starting with payments for fiscal year 2027. The Secretary must seek input from communities of color and consider social determinants when building these measures. This would change hospital incentives under Medicare.
Maternal health research and studies
If enacted, HHS would fund research grants at minority‑serving institutions ($10 million per year for FY2027–FY2031) to study maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. The Secretary would also submit to Congress within two years a federal maternal health needs report covering federal spending from 2000–2026 and a study on how violence affects maternal mortality and severe maternal illness.
More federal focus on maternal and rural health
If enacted, the bill would create and fund new federal groups to improve maternity and rural care. It would set up an interagency maternity committee with $1,000,000 a year (FY2027–2031), a Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission, and require CDC mapping of climate-related maternal risk zones. The bill would also require a DOT report within one year on transportation barriers to prenatal and postpartum care.
More funding and focus for cancers
If enacted, NIH and VA programs would expand coordination and outreach for prostate, stomach, and other cancer research with a focus on minority populations. The VA would run a coordinated prostate cancer research program and award grants to improve trial access for underserved veterans. NIH would set up advisory and reporting structures, and some funding is tied to projected federal savings for 2027–2031. New public reporting and measures would track cancer care disparities in Medicare.
More health research and trials
This bill would direct federal agencies to expand disease research and clinical trial inclusion. NIH would expand work on diabetes, HIV (research activities for FY2027–FY2030), sleep health, and lung cancer. CDC would expand research on environmental and occupational causes of kidney disease. The bill would create a safe harbor so manufacturers can provide digital devices to trial participants to help include underrepresented groups, and it would reauthorize a related PHSA grant program.
More public health research and training
If enacted, CDC, NIH, HRSA and other agencies would get new authorities and grant funding to reduce disease burdens and improve workforce capacity. The bill directs expanded research and data reporting on kidney transplants for minority populations, funds arthritis outreach for minority communities, boosts flu and pneumonia vaccine campaigns, expands COPD prevention grants, steers HRSA training for diabetes care in underserved areas, and helps health centers adopt modern electronic health records.
More youth mental health and workforce rules
If enacted, grantees of youth sexual‑health and sex‑education funds must file annual reports and HHS must report to Congress yearly for five years. HHS must hire an independent evaluator within six months and deliver a multi‑year evaluation within six years. States would have to spend at least 15% of certain allotments on programs for transition‑age youth (about ages 16–25), or meet a 30% target over two consecutive years. HHS would also study ways to grow the AANHPI behavioral health workforce with $1.5 million for FY2027.
New legal tools against unequal care
If enacted, a new federal prohibition would bar providers from giving inequitable health care because of race, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, age, or religion. Patients would have a private right to sue after administrative steps or 180 days, with courts able to award actual and punitive damages and the Attorney General able to bring pattern‑or‑practice suits with capped punitive damages.
New Medicare option for rural hospitals
If enacted, Rural Community Hospitals could elect to be paid 101% of their reasonable costs for inpatient services or outpatient services instead of the usual Medicare prospective payment systems. The election must be made in the hospital's application and applies to services furnished 30 days after enactment.
Public education on PAD
If enacted, the CDC would start a peripheral artery disease education program with CMS and HRSA to teach health professionals and the public how to reduce amputations and improve care for at‑risk groups. The provision authorizes HHS to spend what is needed for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Research on birth, climate, buildings
If enacted, NIH would create a Consortium on Birth and Climate within one year to coordinate research on climate risks for pregnant people and vulnerable groups and publish annual reports. HHS and EPA would fund grants to study how the built environment affects health and prioritize projects that reach high‑risk communities. ATSDR would run pilot studies to test supporting a health registry and aligned data standards.
Restore HHS minority and agency staff
If enacted, several HHS agencies and Offices of Minority Health must rehire at least the staff levels they had on January 19, 2025 and resume the programs and public resources they ran then. The HHS Secretary must reinstate amounts that were retracted between January 19, 2025 and enactment to carry out these requirements within 30 days.
Stronger civil rights and language access
If enacted, the bill would create a formal complaints process for unequal health care and strengthen civil‑rights enforcement with a new Office for Civil Rights and Health Equity and civil rights offices in each HHS agency. It would define LEP and CLAS terms, require federal agencies to make LEP plans in 120 days and implement them in one year, and require NIH trial sponsors to remediate trials that miss diversity targets. The enforcement changes include timelines, private suits after conciliation or 180 days, and pattern‑or‑practice penalties.
Stronger diversity rules for clinical trials
This bill would make NIH-funded clinical trials add clear recruitment and retention goals by race, age, and sex and report disaggregated enrollment and retention data during and after trials. Section 1557 nondiscrimination rules would apply to NIH-subject trials. The FDA would study and publish findings on trial diversity, update guidance by late 2028, require labeling or postmarket study if racial or ethnic disparities are identified, and treat certain lung-related treatments under an accelerated program. Trials must protect privacy and follow new reporting and training rules.
Studies on kidney care equity
If enacted, HHS would study treatment patterns for kidney failure across Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with a report to Congress within one year. HHS would also study rare kidney disease topics and genetics, coordinate with agencies, and report within 18 months. The rare kidney study is authorized $1 million per year for FY2027–FY2031.
Study and fix EHR equity issues
If enacted, HHS would hire the National Academies to study health IT in medically underserved areas and report within two years. The ONC would evaluate EHR access and interoperability in minority communities within 18 months and add a certification criterion within one year to stratify quality measures by race, language, disability, and other disparity characteristics for reporting to CMS.
Study Medicaid payments to FQHCs
If enacted, HHS must study by October 1, 2027, and at least annually thereafter, how States adjust payment amounts for services by Federally Qualified Health Centers. The Secretary must issue guidance to State Medicaid plans on best practices based on the study.
Grants to build healthier neighborhoods
If enacted, HHS (working with EPA) would award grants to fund projects that make neighborhoods healthier. Grants could pay for safer streets, better access to healthy food, improved transport, and environmental improvements. The agency would also fund research and measures, and may spend up to 20% of yearly funds on research that shows where projects worked best and how to reach high‑risk groups.
New workforce diversity and research supports
If enacted, HHS would fund and coordinate new national efforts to diversify the health workforce. The bill creates a national working group and a clearinghouse for diversity best practices, convenes an interprofessional maternity education commission, and funds leadership fellowships and Alzheimer’s researcher training. It also creates research career grant priorities and loan reimbursement or cancellation programs for researchers who study disparities, and lets States reclaim a Conrad waiver slot when a foreign physician leaves for another State.
New heat and workplace protections for workers
If enacted, the Labor Department would issue a worker heat protection standard within one year that would require employer‑provided cool drinking water, scheduled paid rest breaks, shade or cool‑down areas, and acclimatization policies. The interim standard would take effect when issued. The bill would give the heat standard the force of an OSHA rule, set timing for citations and whistleblower remedies, and authorize funding as needed to run the program. The bill would also direct OSHA to require employers with 100 or more employees to provide menstrual products free to workers. The new rules would protect workers but would also add employer recordkeeping and compliance obligations.
CBO review of preventive health savings
If enacted, the Congressional Budget Office would be required, on request from budget committee leaders, to check whether a proposed measure would reduce outlays in future years through preventive health. If the CBO finds substantial savings, it would include estimates and explain its basis. The provision defines key terms and lets committees ask for specific outyear projections.
Free menstrual products; Byrne penalty
If enacted, states receiving Byrne JAG grants must certify within 180 days and annually that incarcerated people have access to menstrual products on demand and at no cost. Failure to certify would reduce a State's next‑year section 505 Byrne JAG grant by 20%, with cut funds reallocated to certifying States. The Attorney General and federal agencies must also ensure free menstrual products for federal prisoners and detained individuals.
Health data, EHRs, and equity
The bill would require federal health IT and programs to collect and share uniform demographic and social‑determinant data and to make systems interoperable across federal, state, and social service programs. CMS pay‑for‑reporting programs would have to break quality measures down by race, language, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. The Quality Payment Program would require certified electronic health records, and pediatric quality funding would be indexed to the annual CPI. AHRQ would be required to address cultural and language competence and funded activities would be barred from discriminating on listed characteristics.
Limits on federally funded sex education
If enacted, federal funds could not pay for sex education that withholds life‑saving facts, is medically inaccurate, promotes stereotypes, ignores survivors, omits sexually active or parenting youth, or fails to serve students with disabilities. The bill lists nine explicit content or omission prohibitions for any federally funded sex education or sexual health services.
Hospital payments and residency boosts
The bill would change Medicare and Medicaid payments and teaching hospital rules. Rural community hospitals would be exempted from a 30% bad‑debt reimbursement cut. Eligible hospitals would get 3 extra residency slots and more resident time (including CLAS training) would count toward Medicare FTEs starting in late 2027. It would raise certain Medicare Advantage and DSH benchmarks used for U.S. territories. At the same time, federal Medicaid matching payments for hospital care on or after January 1, 2027 would be conditioned on hospitals meeting specified compassionate‑assistance requirements.
Free menstrual products in federal restrooms
If enacted, federal agencies would have to stock sanitary napkins and tampons that meet industry standards and make them available free in covered public restrooms in federal buildings. The requirement would apply on enactment and cover Capitol buildings and other public federal buildings. This reduces out-of-pocket need for people who use those federal restrooms.
Behavioral health outreach for communities
If enacted, HHS would run a culturally tailored behavioral health outreach and education program for several racial and ethnic groups and must report publicly each year. The program would fund culturally and developmentally appropriate materials and community engagement and is authorized $15 million per year for FY2027–FY2032.
Equal dental rules for CHIP kids
If enacted, State CHIP plans could not give better dental coverage or cost protections to children in dental‑only CHIP than to children who get full CHIP. The change would take effect six months after enactment and requires states to keep dental benefit parity for dental‑only enrollees.
Free school lunch for detained youth
If enacted, juveniles incarcerated in eligible non‑profit juvenile detention centers would be eligible for free lunches under the National School Lunch Act. The Attorney General and USDA must give states guidance within one year on how to get reimbursed for those meals.
Grants to improve bone marrow care
If enacted, AHRQ would award grants to improve diagnostic practices and quality of care for patients with acquired bone marrow failure diseases. The program is authorized at $2 million per year for FY2027–FY2031.
Higher school meal payments for local food
This bill would give extra money to schools that use qualifying local farm products. If a State certifies a school served at least 25% local products, the school would get $0.30 more per free lunch or supper, $0.21 more per free breakfast, and $0.08 more per free supplement starting July 1, 2027. The extra payments would rise each year with food inflation. The bill would also set the free afterschool meal reimbursement at $4.63 per meal starting July 1, 2027.
Medicare home health remote pilots
If enacted, HHS would run Medicare pilot projects to incentivize home health agencies to use remote monitoring and communications technology. Pilots must include urban and rural sites and at least three sites in small states. Incentive payments would come from a share of measured Medicare savings and the Secretary must report to Congress within five years of first implementation.
More bilingual behavioral health staff
If enacted, HRSA would run a demonstration to help health centers hire behavioral health professionals who speak patients' preferred languages. The Secretary would give preference to centers where at least 10% of patients are best served in a language other than English. Subject to appropriations, up to $10 million per year is authorized for FY2027–FY2032 for the program and reporting on results.
More VA and military health programs
If enacted, DoD and VA would run demonstrations to increase dental access for service members, dependents, and veterans in rural or underserved areas, including telehealth options. If enacted, the VA would create an Office of Minority Health, run a prostate cancer outreach campaign, and award outreach grants. If enacted, DoD and VA would set up early lung cancer detection and coordinated care programs for high‑risk service members and veterans.
New bone marrow research and registry
If enacted, the bill would create a national registry for acquired bone marrow failure diseases and fund research and outreach. It would authorize $3 million a year for the registry for FY2027–FY2031 and $2 million a year for related research grants in the same years. HHS would also start outreach programs to share treatment and clinical trial information and provide referrals to affected minority communities.
Reduce Medicare Part B penalty months PR
If enacted, people who were living in Puerto Rico when they became entitled to Medicare Part A could have certain months in the first five years counted for Part B late‑enrollment penalty calculations. The change would apply to premiums paid for months beginning on or after enactment and could reduce or remove some Part B penalty charges for qualifying Puerto Rico residents.
Define supervisor at sensitive DHS sites
If enacted, the bill would add a statutory definition of "supervisor" for the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act. DHS must write regulations to implement the definition within 90 days after enactment. The change clarifies who can act as a supervisor at sensitive locations.
Improve sexual orientation data for violent deaths
If enacted, CDC would be required within 120 days to improve collection of sexual orientation and gender identity information for decedents in the National Violent Death Reporting System. Any SOGI data collected must follow NVDRS confidentiality and privacy rules. The change is intended to improve surveillance and research.
Modernize noncitizen terminology
If enacted, Executive agencies would be barred from using the words 'alien' or 'illegal alien' in rules, publications, displays, and signs, except when quoting other sources. The bill would add a statutory definition of 'foreign national' and treat older references to 'alien' as referring to 'foreign national' and 'illegal alien' as 'undocumented foreign national.'
Study on de-identified health data use
If enacted, HHS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT would study how de‑identified health data is used in medically underserved areas. They would report to Congress within 18 months and list best practices and tools to prevent misuse and to help underserved areas benefit from digital health technology.
AANHPI behavioral health outreach
If enacted, HHS would develop and run a national outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral health and reduce stigma in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. The plan must be culturally and linguistically appropriate and begin reporting to Congress within one year. The bill authorizes $3 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support the work.
Better race data and local partnerships
If enacted, federal law would explicitly add Middle Eastern or North African and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander to the definition of racial and ethnic minority groups and require HHS to clarify similar terms within two years. The National Coordinator must coordinate health data collection in communities with high shares of racial and ethnic minorities with minority‑serving colleges where possible. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health would include Puerto Rico starting in fiscal year 2027.
Boost rare disease and trial outreach
If enacted, HHS and NIH would fund outreach, mentoring, and grants to increase awareness of rare diseases and to boost diverse enrollment in clinical trials. Activities include culturally and language‑appropriate awareness campaigns, mentoring programs for clinicians, and grants to test recruitment strategies and training. Appropriations are authorized as needed for fiscal years 2027–2028 and other sections provide multiyear grant authority.
Centers for rare kidney disease research
This bill would fund regional Centers of Excellence for rare kidney disease research. Grants could pay for patient care costs needed for research, clinical training, outreach, and genetic testing education. Research must include genotype-phenotype studies and must not use QALYs or DALYs that discriminate against people with disabilities. The bill would authorize $6 million per year for FY2027–FY2031.
Grants for social and environmental health
If enacted, the bill would fund a Social Determinants Accelerator with $25 million for FY2027–FY2031 and reserve at least 20% for rural grants. It would also create CDC environmental health improvement grants for communities facing heavy environmental burdens and allow Delta region rural health grants to reduce disparities and improve access. Up to $5 million of the accelerator funds may pay program administration.
Help for Health Empowerment Zone applicants
If enacted, the Secretary could provide technical assistance and award discretionary grants to groups applying for Health Empowerment Zone designation. The help may fund community partnerships, health disparity assessments, and strategic planning. Grants are discretionary and meant to help community groups prepare stronger requests.
Help for U.S. territories' health
This bill would let HHS give direct grants to rebuild and improve health care facilities in American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, USVI, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii, prioritizing providers that serve many uninsured or Medicare/Medicaid patients. HHS must report to Congress within 180 days and annually after enactment. The bill would also require a report, due by February 1, 2028, estimating how the territories are excluded from ACA Exchange assistance and quantifying coverage gaps and lost federal help.
Hispanic and Latino mental health outreach
If enacted, HHS would create a culturally and linguistically tailored outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral health and reduce stigma among Hispanic and Latino populations. The Secretary must begin reporting to Congress within one year and annually after. The bill authorizes $1 million for fiscal year 2027 to carry out the work.
More research on health disparities
This bill would fund studies and reports to better understand mental health and health disparities. Agencies must pick expert bodies within 9 months and finish several studies or reports within 1–2 years. It would expand research on workforce diversity and language access and require the HHS Institute for Minority Health to restore staff and previously withheld funds within 30 days of enactment. Smaller, targeted appropriations are authorized for specific studies (for example, $1.5 million for an AANHPI youth study in FY2027 and $5 million per year for language access research, FY2027–FY2031).
National kidney disease action plan
If enacted, NIH and CDC leaders would develop a national action plan on kidney disease within two years and expand CDC prevention activities. The bill would make grants and coordinate pilot programs and require an assessment of kidney disease data collection in federal health surveys within 180 days. It authorizes $1 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
New prostate cancer council and campaign
If enacted, the bill would create a National Prostate Cancer Council to develop a strategic plan and report to Congress. The Council would meet publicly and end on December 31, 2027. The bill would also fund a national awareness and outreach campaign and authorize $10 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for education and grant testing.
Nursing home infection and death data
This bill would require HHS to post state-level, aggregated demographic data on Nursing Home Compare about residents with suspected or confirmed infections and deaths. The data must include age, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and preferred language, and must protect resident identities.
Public education on emergency contraception
If enacted, CDC would develop and share medically accurate public information about emergency contraceptives. Materials must explain use, safety, over‑the‑counter access, and options to get them without cost‑sharing. The materials must be pilot tested for comprehension and cultural and language appropriateness. Funding is authorized as needed for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Reauthorize Native Hawaiian and Tribal Health
This bill would make key Native Hawaiian health program funding authorities ongoing instead of time-limited. It would also fund IHS-led diabetes research for American Indian populations and create grants for Tribal Epidemiology Centers and Urban Indian health centers to study rare diseases in AI/AN communities. Agencies would be required to consult with urban Indian organizations when carrying out Indian health programs.
Rename substance use agency
If enacted, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would be renamed the 'Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration' and some Centers would be retitled to highlight substance use services and prevention. The HHS Secretary would delegate duties to the renamed agency. Existing statutory references to the old names would be read as references to the new names.
Research and task forces for specific diseases
If enacted, HHS and other agencies would set up or require advisory groups and experiments for specific conditions. This includes an advisory committee on acquired bone marrow failure, experiments and a study on rare kidney disease with a report to Congress in 24 months, and a prostate cancer task force that must give recommendations and that ends on September 30, 2028. These efforts focus on research, registries, and coordination.
Routine opt‑out prison health testing
If enacted, the Bureau of Prisons would be required to perform routine opt‑out health screening and testing at intake and before release unless the person declines. Refusals must be recorded in confidential medical records and are not disciplinary. Tests done under this policy would generally be inadmissible in civil or criminal proceedings.
Stronger health equity data and centers
If enacted, the bill would create federal bodies and studies to improve demographic and equity data and protect privacy. HHS would set up a short‑term Commission on data for health equity, a CDC National Center on Antiracism and Health, and require National Academy studies on an interoperable emergency data platform. The bill funds minority institution data grants, a preliminary NHPI health survey, a MENA health study with strict privacy rules, and a CDC SOGI data funding line.
Two year rule for teaching agreements
This bill would define a "covered agreement" for teaching health centers as a written agreement of at least two years for an approved graduate medical residency program. The rule applies to expenses incurred on or after October 1, 2027.
Conrad J-1 physician protections
If enacted, the Conrad State J‑1 physician waiver program would be extended to a date three years after enactment and treated as effective back to September 30, 2018. Waiver recipients would need written employment contracts that limit on‑call hours, require pay for on‑call time, describe malpractice protections, list work sites, and ban non‑compete clauses. The bill also adjusts how many waivers each State gets based on prior use and tightens the legal test for employer agreement violations.
Grant access for minority-serving providers
If enacted, competitive grant rules to fund loan programs for adopting certified electronic health records would explicitly include providers who serve communities with high shares of racial and ethnic minority residents. The change clarifies eligibility so minority‑serving providers can better compete for these grants.
Extra time for some States to comply
If enacted, the bill would make certain amendments generally effective January 1, 2027, but give States extra time if the Secretary finds a State needs new (non‑appropriation) legislation to comply. For those States, a State plan would not be treated as out of compliance until the calendar quarter after the State's next regular legislative session (with special rules for 2‑year sessions). This delays some changes for affected States while leaving the general effective date in place.
New telehealth site safety rules
This bill would let the HHS Secretary set beneficiary and program integrity requirements for new telehealth originating sites and clarify authority over other sites. The rulemaking authority starts on enactment and could improve protections for patients while adding new requirements for some telehealth locations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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