Saving Lives and Reducing Health Care Waste by Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (15 Jul 2026): Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
What this bill does
H.R. 9696, the "Saving Lives and Reducing Health Care Waste by Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Act," would direct federal health agencies to expand research and infrastructure aimed at reducing diagnostic errors in health care. It would create a new research and quality-improvement program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), establish "research centers of diagnostic excellence," and set up a multi-stakeholder advisory committee including patients and family members. The bill also directs AHRQ to develop a plan for a voluntary patient-reporting system for diagnostic errors and near misses (with legal protections limiting use of such reports in court), promotes standardized data elements for diagnosis-related research, expands existing fellowship and quality-measure programs to cover diagnostic safety, and establishes an Interagency Council on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care to coordinate federal efforts and issue periodic strategic plans to Congress.
The bill primarily affects federal health agencies (including AHRQ, CMS, NIH, FDA, and the VA), researchers and health systems that could receive grants or participate in data-standardization efforts, and patients and families who could use new voluntary reporting tools. It authorizes specific funding levels for these activities through various fiscal years (generally 2027–2031).
The bill was introduced on July 15, 2026, by Rep. Donald Beyer (D-VA), with co-sponsors, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not yet received a committee vote or floor action, and would need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President to become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
15 Jul 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9696 do?
- H.R. 9696, the "Saving Lives and Reducing Health Care Waste by Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Act," would direct federal health agencies to expand research and infrastructure aimed at reducing diagnostic errors in health care. It would create a new research and quality-improvement program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), establish "research centers of diagnostic excellence," and set up a multi-stakeholder advisory committee including patients and family members. The bill also directs AHRQ to develop a plan for a voluntary patient-reporting system for diagnostic errors and near misses (with legal protections limiting use of such reports in court), promotes standardized data elements for diagnosis-related research, expands existing fellowship and quality-measure programs to cover diagnostic safety, and establishes an Interagency Council on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care to coordinate federal efforts and issue periodic strategic plans to Congress. The bill primarily affects federal health agencies (including AHRQ, CMS, NIH, FDA, and the VA), researchers and health systems that could receive grants or participate in data-standardization efforts, and patients and families who could use new voluntary reporting tools. It authorizes specific funding levels for these activities through various fiscal years (generally 2027–2031). The bill was introduced on July 15, 2026, by Rep. Donald Beyer (D-VA), with co-sponsors, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not yet received a committee vote or floor action, and would need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President to become law.
- Has H.R. 9696 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 9696. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9696?
- H.R. 9696 was sponsored by Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9696?
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (15 Jul 2026).
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