Healthcare (Healthcare Workforce) in United States

in committee · United States · House May 12, 2026

HR 8765: Prioritizing Primary Care Act of 2026

The Prioritizing Primary Care Act of 2026 requires federal agencies managing health programs to submit annual reports detailing how much money they spend on primary care. To address these spending patterns, the bill mandates the creation of a working group that will study ways to increase primary care funding, improve provider access, and enhance service quality, particularly in rural and underserved areas. This working group will include members from various federal agencies and outside organizations, and it must gather input from states and healthcare stakeholders before submitting its recommendations to Congress.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Primary Care

in committee · United States · Senate Apr 30, 2026

S 4467: Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act

Ensuring Seniors' Access to Quality Care Act This bill repeals certain restrictions under Medicare and Medicaid that prohibit the approval of nurse-aide training and competency evaluation programs in skilled nursing facilities that have been subject to specified regulatory actions (e.g., civil penalties) for substandard quality of care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must still disapprove such programs for up to two years; however, the CMS must rescind the disapproval upon completion of corrective action and may require additional oversight of the program for purposes of rescission. The bill also allows Medicaid and Medicare providers (e.g., skilled nursing facilities) to access, through the National Practitioner Data Bank, disciplinary information for affiliated physicians and other health care practitioners, as reported by state licensing authorities.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Medicaid

in committee · United States · House Apr 20, 2026

HRES 1192: Recognizing the roles and the contributions of care workers in the United States and expressing support for the designation of April 2026 as "Care Worker Recognition Month".

This House Resolution recognizes the vital roles and contributions of care workers in the United States, including those in childcare and home care, and expresses support for designating April 2026 as "Care Worker Recognition Month." It aims to acknowledge the importance of these professionals who support children, older adults, and people with disabilities, and their impact on families and the economy.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care

in committee · United States · Senate Apr 14, 2026

S 4283: Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill, the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends an existing federal program. It reauthorizes the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Program, which provides loan repayment assistance to professionals in public health and bio-preparedness fields. The key provision updates the program's funding authorization period. Specifically, it changes the authorization from fiscal years 2023 through 2025 to fiscal years 2027 through 2031, allowing the program to continue supporting this workforce.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Public Health

in committee · United States · House Mar 19, 2026

HR 8011: SECURE Health Act

This bill establishes the SECURE Health Act to strengthen the global health workforce by creating a coordinated federal strategy to train, support, and protect frontline health workers worldwide. It requires the President to develop a five-year Global Health Workforce Strategy, appoint a dedicated coordinator within the State Department, and form an interagency task force to align health investments across federal agencies. The legislation mandates detailed annual reporting on funding for health worker salaries, training, and protection measures, while also calling for an independent global report every two years to track progress. Additionally, the bill emphasizes integrated funding approaches that support multiple health needs rather than single-disease programs and requires host countries to contribute to salary support plans to ensure long-term sustainability.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

in committee · United States · House Mar 25, 2026

HR 8089: Perinatal Workforce Act

The Perinatal Workforce Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance encouraging hospitals, insurers, and maternity care providers to recruit and retain diverse healthcare professionals, including midwives, physician assistants, and perinatal health workers, while incorporating implicit bias and racism training into their practices. The bill authorizes $15 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for grants that establish or expand accredited education programs for perinatal health professionals, prioritizing schools that recruit students from racial and ethnic minority groups and those planning to practice in areas with maternal health disparities. Additionally, the legislation creates a separate grant program for nursing schools to provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in maternal and perinatal health, with similar diversity and training requirements. The act also requires the Secretary of HHS to conduct a study on respectful maternity care practices and mandates periodic reports from the Government Accountability Office on barriers to maternal health education and access to care.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Women's Health

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 26, 2026

S 4254: Health Workforce Innovation Act

The Health Workforce Innovation Act creates a new federal program to fund innovative training models for allied health professionals, such as medical assistants, dental hygienists, and community health workers, with a focus on underserved and rural areas. Eligible applicants include federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and accredited vocational programs that must submit detailed plans describing their community-driven approach, geographic service areas, and how they will recruit and retain workers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Funds awarded under this program, capped at $2.5 million per grant, can support partnerships with schools, apprenticeships, training equipment, and infrastructure improvements but cannot be used for construction or to replace existing funding. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will prioritize grants that increase workforce diversity, improve healthcare access, and demonstrate cost-effective replication potential, with funded models required to last at least three years.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 4186: Perinatal Workforce Act

The Perinatal Workforce Act directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to issue guidance encouraging hospitals and insurers to recruit and retain diverse maternity care providers, incorporate midwives and other specialists into care teams, and provide culturally congruent care. It also authorizes grants to establish or expand training programs for physician assistants, perinatal health workers, and midwives, with priority given to institutions that recruit from minority and underserved communities and include implicit bias training in their curricula. A separate grant program provides scholarships to nursing students focused on maternal and perinatal health, prioritizing schools that serve diverse populations and address health disparities in shortage areas. The bill requires the Secretary and the Government Accountability Office to conduct studies and reports on barriers to maternal health education, access to care, and disparities in outcomes, with $15 million authorized annually for each program from 2027 through 2031.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Women's Health

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 4208: Rural America Health Corps Act

The Rural America Health Corps Act creates a demonstration program to help health professionals work in rural areas by offering loan repayment assistance. Eligible individuals must commit to five years of full-time employment in a rural health professional shortage area to receive payments on their student loans. The program would pay one-fifth of the loan principal and interest each year of service, with a maximum total payment of $200,000 per person. This initiative is designed to address healthcare access challenges in rural communities by incentivizing medical professionals to serve in underserved areas.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Tags Rural Communities

in committee · United States · House Mar 9, 2026

HR 7884: Healthcare is Human Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Healthcare is Human Act of 2026, creates a tax credit for licensed health care professionals who work in qualifying facilities, including Veterans Affairs medical facilities and those located in health professional shortage areas. The credit amount varies based on the number of hours worked each month, ranging from $300 to $500 per month depending on whether the professional works between 80-120, 120-160, or more than 160 hours of qualifying health care services. To receive the credit, professionals must work at least 80 hours in at least 8 months during the tax year, and their modified adjusted gross income must not exceed $200,000 for single filers or $400,000 for joint filers. The credit is available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030, with a requirement for a Government Accountability Office study to evaluate its impact on health care retention and access.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Healthcare Workforce Veteran Healthcare

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