A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — 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.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Developing the Community Health Workforce Act of 2026 aims to strengthen the recruitment, training, and retention of health center workers to improve access to care in rural and underserved communities. It provides priority for health professional assignments to Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics. The bill authorizes grants for loan repayments for health professionals serving at FQHCs and for establishing workforce pipelines through partnerships with higher education institutions. It also allows for the creation of training programs specifically for behavioral health specialists. Additionally, the legislation expands graduate medical education by increasing resident limits for hospitals with significant training occurring at FQHCs. Finally, it expands coverage for behavioral health and case management services under Medicare and Medicaid.
Yes· 3 of 16
- Scored +8
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill specifically prioritizes improving healthcare access and workforce in rural communities.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill enhances healthcare access in underserved and rural areas through loan repayments and workforce training.
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Increased access to services at FQHCs significantly benefits low-income populations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Priority for underserved areas: The bill requires the Secretary to give priority to applications for member assignments in health professional shortage areas that include Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (Section 2(a)).
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Financial relief for health professionals: Grants may be awarded to FQHCs to make loan repayments on behalf of health care professionals serving at those centers (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Workforce development and recruitment: The Secretary may award grants to help health centers recruit staff with necessary skills and support career advancement (Section 3(a)).
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Apprenticeship opportunities: FQHCs would become eligible to register as apprenticeship programs (Section 3(b)).
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Educational partnerships: Grants can be awarded to institutions of higher education to establish partnerships with health centers for training students in various health professions, including clinical and IT roles (Section 3(c)).
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Expanded behavioral health training: Grants may be used to establish or expand training programs for behavioral health specialists, including stipends and apprenticeships (Section 3(d)).
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Increased medical training capacity: Hospitals that have a significant portion of their graduate medical residency training occurring at an FQHC can have their resident limit increased by 3 full-time equivalent positions (Section 4(b)).
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Expanded healthcare coverage: Medicare coverage would include services furnished by behavioral health consultants, peer support specialists, and case managers (Section 5(a)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Application requirements: FQHCs seeking loan repayment grants must undergo a specific application process including providing data on regional shortages, a repayment plan, and descriptions of interdisciplinary care approaches (Section 2(b)(2)).
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Uncertainty in state payments: State plans may face new guidance regarding how they adjust payment amounts for services furnished during a fiscal year following a Secretary-led study (Section 5(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill specifically prioritizes improving healthcare access and workforce in rural communities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Increased access to services at FQHCs significantly benefits low-income populations. Would students be better off under this? — The bill provides educational partnerships, training opportunities, and loan repayment incentives for students. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides training and apprenticeship opportunities beneficial to students and young professionals. Would retired people be better off under this? — Increased healthcare access and expanded service coverage benefit retirees. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Improved healthcare access through expanded services and increased workforce helps seniors.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill enhances healthcare access in underserved and rural areas through loan repayments and workforce training. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill expands training for behavioral health specialists and includes their services under Medicare and Medicaid. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill expands Medicaid coverage to include behavioral health and case management services. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill expands Medicare coverage to include behavioral health and case management services.
- Education And Technology
- Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — The bill facilitates loan repayment grants for healthcare professionals serving at community health centers. Does this make college cost less? — The bill provides grants to institutions of higher education for training-related costs.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill promotes job creation through workforce pipelines, apprenticeships, and training grants for health centers.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill specifically targets workforce development and healthcare access in rural areas.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill supports minority-serving institutions in creating healthcare workforce pipelines.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases the role of the Secretary of HHS in managing healthcare workforce grants.
- 9/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/30/2026
- 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.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Gus BilirakisRepublican · Florida
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia