Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022
Latest action (26 Apr 2022): Introduced
What this bill does
The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022 is a broad, multi-title bill aimed at reducing health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority communities. It would expand federal data collection on health outcomes by race, ethnicity, and language; require culturally and linguistically appropriate health services and language access accommodations; fund health workforce diversity programs at minority-serving institutions; and make numerous changes to Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP intended to expand coverage and reduce barriers, including for immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and residents of U.S. territories. It also addresses maternal and child health, nutrition programs (including a proposed universal school meals framework), mental health and substance use services, and disease-specific initiatives covering cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, tuberculosis, and other conditions disproportionately affecting minority populations.
The bill's provisions would affect a wide range of groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, low-income individuals, rural residents, Native American and Native Hawaiian communities, children, pregnant individuals, people with limited English proficiency, and health care providers and institutions serving these populations. Federal agencies such as HHS, CDC, CMS, and others would gain new reporting, grant-making, and oversight responsibilities under the bill.
H.R. 7585 was introduced on April 26, 2022, in the 117th Congress by Rep. Robin Kelly and was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee along with several other committees. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; as with all unenacted legislation, it would need to be reintroduced in a subsequent Congress to be considered further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and others to undertake efforts to reduce health disparities.
For example, the bill (1) requires more detailed reporting of demographic and health disparities data, including related to public health emergencies; (2) directs certain components of HHS to support health workforce diversity; and (3) increases access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care.
The bill also modifies eligibility and other requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, nutrition assistance, and other programs to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. The bill includes specific provisions with respect to
• noncitizens;
• maternal, infant, and child health;
• mental and behavioral health;
• specified conditions that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority groups, such as certain cancers, HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, and diabetes;
Common questions
- What does H.R. 7585 do?
- The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022 is a broad, multi-title bill aimed at reducing health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority communities. It would expand federal data collection on health outcomes by race, ethnicity, and language; require culturally and linguistically appropriate health services and language access accommodations; fund health workforce diversity programs at minority-serving institutions; and make numerous changes to Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP intended to expand coverage and reduce barriers, including for immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and residents of U.S. territories. It also addresses maternal and child health, nutrition programs (including a proposed universal school meals framework), mental health and substance use services, and disease-specific initiatives covering cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, tuberculosis, and other conditions disproportionately affecting minority populations. The bill's provisions would affect a wide range of groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, low-income individuals, rural residents, Native American and Native Hawaiian communities, children, pregnant individuals, people with limited English proficiency, and health care providers and institutions serving these populations. Federal agencies such as HHS, CDC, CMS, and others would gain new reporting, grant-making, and oversight responsibilities under the bill. H.R. 7585 was introduced on April 26, 2022, in the 117th Congress by Rep. Robin Kelly and was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee along with several other committees. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; as with all unenacted legislation, it would need to be reintroduced in a subsequent Congress to be considered further.
- Has H.R. 7585 become law?
- Not yet. As of 26 Apr 2022, H.R. 7585 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 7585?
- H.R. 7585 was sponsored by Rep. Robin Kelly [D-IL2] (Democrat-IL), with 83 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 7585?
- Introduced (26 Apr 2022).
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