To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enforce certain requirements with respect to for-profit corporations that own health care systems, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 23, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
# Summary
The Health Over Wealth Act would significantly regulate for-profit corporations that own or control health care systems, particularly those backed by private equity firms. The bill requires these companies to report detailed financial information to the Department of Health and Human Services covering the past ten years, including debt levels, fees paid to investors, executive compensation, staffing data, and political spending. This information would be made public and analyzed annually for Congress.
The legislation establishes a licensing system for private equity firms investing in health care, allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to deny or revoke licenses for companies that engage in price gouging, understaffing, or create access barriers. Companies in violation face civil penalties up to ten thousand dollars per violation or potentially an amount equal to federal funding received by the health care entity. The bill also restricts real estate investment trusts from leasing property to health care entities under terms that would weaken their financial stability.
The act requires hospitals to provide ninety days' notice before closing or reducing services and prohibits discontinuing essential health services during this period unless necessary for patient or employee safety. The Secretary must review proposed closures, consult with the public, and can develop alternative plans to preserve access. Additionally, the bill creates a task force to study private equity's effects on health care and authorizes the Secretary to impose a moratorium on new private equity investments in health care while research is ongoing. The legislation also modifies bankruptcy law to prioritize employee pension claims and requires courts to consider regional health care access when confirming health care business reorganization plans.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.