# H.R. 9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 — Summary
The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 is a comprehensive federal health care and public health reform bill addressing racial and ethnic health disparities through data collection, workforce diversity, service accessibility, and expanded coverage for vulnerable populations. The legislation establishes mandatory demographic data collection across federal health programs disaggregated by race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and socioeconomic status, requiring culturally and linguistically appropriate services in all federally funded health settings. The bill expands health insurance eligibility for immigrants, pregnant and postpartum individuals, and low-income Medicare beneficiaries; establishes federal requirements for language access services across federal agencies with $5 million annually designated for a new Center for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Health Care; and creates numerous workforce diversity initiatives including scholarships, loan repayment programs, and training grants targeting underrepresented groups in health professions, with particular focus on maternal health, mental health, and specialty care providers serving rural and underserved communities. The legislation authorizes substantial funding—including $300 million annually for school-based mental health services, $200 million for border health grants, and multiple grant programs addressing maternal mortality, preventive health initiatives, and environmental health disparities—while establishing new Medicare and Medicaid coverage for dental care, HIV prevention services, obesity treatment, and peripheral artery disease screening, and includes enforcement mechanisms allowing individuals to sue for health care discrimination with penalties up to $1 million for providers.