[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8629 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8629
To strengthen recruitment, training, and retention of the health center
workforce to improve access to care and health outcomes in rural and
underserved communities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2026
Mr. Ruiz (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To strengthen recruitment, training, and retention of the health center
workforce to improve access to care and health outcomes in rural and
underserved communities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Developing the Community Health
Workforce Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF FEDERAL QUALIFIED HEALTH
CENTER STAFF.
(a) Priority to FQHCs and Rural Health Clinics.--Section 333(a) of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f(a)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(4) In approving applications for assignment of members of the
Corps, the Secretary shall, notwithstanding paragraph (3), give
priority to applications with respect to health professional shortage
areas that are Federally qualified health centers and rural health
clinics, as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act.''.
(b) Loan Repayment Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall award grants to Federally qualified health centers (as
defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395x(aa))) for the purpose of addressing health
professional workforce shortages by making loan repayments on
behalf of health care professionals serving at such centers.
(2) Applications.--To seek a grant under paragraph (1), a
Federally qualified health center shall submit an application
to the Secretary of Health and Human Services at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require. At a minimum, such an application shall include--
(A) a description of the center's capacity to
address specific regional workforce shortages,
supported by data;
(B) a plan for making loan repayments as described
in paragraph (1); and
(C) a description of the center's use of an
interdisciplinary approach to care (such as through the
use of teams to provide care that include physicians,
nurses, social workers, community health workers,
pharmacists, and other health care professionals).
SEC. 3. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER WORKFORCE PIPELINE PROGRAM.
(a) Grants To Recruit, Train, and Retain a Community-Based Health
Center Workforce.--
(1) In general.--Section 330 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsection (r) as subsection
(u); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (q) the following
new subsection:
``(r) Recruiting, Training, and Retaining a Community-Based
Workforce.--The Secretary may award grants to health centers for the
purpose of assisting such centers in--
``(1) recruiting and hiring staff with the skills and
experience necessary to effectively serve health center patient
populations in rural and underserved areas; and
``(2) supporting career advancement and workforce
development opportunities for such staff.''.
(b) FQHCs Deemed Eligible To Register as Apprenticeship Program.--
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Labor shall revise the regulations under part 29 of
title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act, so that Federally qualified health centers (as
defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395x(aa))) are eligible to register as apprenticeship programs under
such part.
(c) Health Centers Career Opportunities.--Section 330 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is further amended by inserting
after subsection (r), as inserted by subsection (a) of this section,
the following:
``(s) Health Centers Career Opportunities.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants to
institutions of higher education, including community colleges
and minority-serving institutions, to establish partnerships
with one or more health centers funded under this section for
training students in health professions.
``(2) Use of funds.--
``(A) Costs.--An institution of higher education
receiving a grant under this subsection may use the
grant to pay the costs of training, including the
salary of the clinicians or other educators who provide
the training.
``(B) Training supported.--The training supported
pursuant to a grant under this subsection may include
formal training and mentorships.
``(C) Types of training.--The types of training
supported pursuant to a grant under this subsection may
include clinical, information technology, operations,
finance, or other training for students of health
professions, as determined by the institution of higher
education receiving the grant in partnership with the
health center involved.
``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) The term `institution of higher education'
means an institution of higher education described in
subsection (a) or (b) of section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
``(B) The term `minority-serving institution' means
an institution of higher education described in section
371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.''.
(d) Behavioral Health Specialists.--Section 330 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is further amended by inserting
after subsection (s), as inserted by subsection (c) of this section,
the following:
``(t) Behavioral Health Specialists.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants to health
centers to establish, operate, or expand training programs for
behavioral health specialists.
``(2) Use of funds.--The training programs for behavioral
health specialists supported pursuant to a grant under this
subsection may include--
``(A) stipends for personnel to operate the
training programs;
``(B) apprenticeship programs; and
``(C) other recruitment and retention activities
for behavioral health specialists.''.
SEC. 4. EXPANDING HOSPITAL AND FQHC PARTNERSHIPS FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL
EDUCATION.
(a) Payments to Teaching Health Centers.--
(1) In general.--Section 340H of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 256h) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``, or that
have in effect a covered agreement with a sponsoring
institution so listed,'' after ``relevant accrediting
body''; and
(B) in subsection (j), by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(5) Covered agreement.--The term `covered agreement'
means a written contract, memorandum of understanding, or other
written agreement entered into for not less than 2 years for
the purpose of conducting an approved graduate medical
residency training program.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply with respect to expenses incurred on or after
October 1, 2025.
(b) Medicare GME Cap.--Section 1886(h) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)) is amended--
(1) in subsection (4)(F), by striking ``and (10)'' and
inserting ``(10), and (11)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(11) Training programs at federally qualified health
centers.--
``(A) In general.--For cost reporting periods
beginning on or after October 1, 2025, in the case of a
hospital that has an approved medical residency
training program where a significant portion of such
program occurs at a Federally qualified health center
(as determined by the Secretary), the Secretary shall
increase the otherwise applicable resident limit for
such hospital by 3 full-time equivalent residency
positions.
``(B) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Otherwise applicable resident
limit.--The term `otherwise applicable resident
limit' means, with respect to a hospital, the
limit otherwise applicable under subparagraphs
(F)(i) and (H) of paragraph (4) on the resident
level for the hospital determined without
regard to this paragraph but taking into
account paragraphs (7)(A), (7)(B), (8)(A),
(8)(B), (9)(A), and (10)(A).
``(ii) Resident level.--The term `resident
level' has the meaning given such term in
paragraph (7)(C)(i).''.
SEC. 5. EXPANDING FQHC SERVICES.
(a) Behavioral Health Professional and Case Manager Services.--
(1) Medicare.--Section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting
``such services furnished on or after October
1, 2025, by a behavioral health consultant,
peer support specialist, or other behavioral
health professional (as such terms are defined
by the Secretary),'' before ``and such
services'';
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (D), by striking the
comma at the end and inserting ``, and''; and
(iv) by inserting after subparagraph (D)
the following new subparagraph:
``(E) case management services furnished on or after
October 1, 2025, by a case manager (as defined by the
Secretary),''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``(D)'' and
inserting ``(E)''.
(2) Medicaid.--Section 1905(l)(2)(A) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting ``and
(E)'' before ``of section''.
(b) Guidance on State Medicaid Payments to FQHCs.--Section 1902(bb)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(bb)) is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
``(7) Study and guidance on payment adjustments.--Not later
than October 1, 2025, and not less frequently than annually
thereafter, the Secretary shall--
``(A) conduct a study on any differences in the
methods by which State plans adjust the payment amount
under paragraph (3) for services furnished during a
fiscal year; and
``(B) based on the results of the study conducted
under subparagraph (A), issue guidance to State plans
on best practices for adjusting the payment amount
under paragraph (3) for services furnished during a
fiscal year.''.
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