A Republican bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 724.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The bill is known as the Health Data Access, Transparency, and Affordability Act of 2026 or the Health DATA Act of 2026. It updates the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to give group health plan fiduciaries access to health claims and encounter information. The legislation prohibits contracts that limit or delay this data access or restrict plan audits. It establishes that non-compliant contract provisions are void as against public policy. Additionally, the bill permits the Secretary of Labor to assess civil penalties against entities that violate these data sharing requirements.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The legislation directly targets hidden fees, gag clauses, and restricted data access, significantly improving transparency in healthcare administration.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Business owners and plan sponsors gain direct access to claims data and auditing capabilities, empowering them to negotiate better rates and control costs.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances consumer protection by eliminating contractual barriers and gag clauses that hide healthcare pricing and claims information from plan administrators.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
How the text last changed
Reported in House (9/15/2026), compared with Introduced in House. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill updates the short title of the legislation so that it may also be cited as the ``Health DATA Act of 2026''. It also alters the specific section references related to civil enforcement penalties for individuals or entities that cannot be indemnified or relieved from liability. Specifically, the text replaces several older section references with new references to sections 502(c)(13) and 502(c)(14).
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Health Claims Data: Section 2(a)(2) ensures that group health plan fiduciaries and their designated agents have access to all claims and encounter information, supporting medical records, and policy documents without unreasonable limits or delays. This helps plan managers see how money is being spent on healthcare.
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No Cost Data Formats: Section 2(a)(2) requires network service providers to supply specific institutional, professional, dental, and pharmacy claims, as well as electronic payment notices, in standard formats at no cost to the group health plan. This ensures plans receive necessary data without extra financial burdens.
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Transparency of Non-Claim Costs: Section 2(a)(2) mandates that all non-claim costs be itemized and made available to group health plans in real time through web portals, Application Programming Interfaces, and downloadable files. This provides clear visibility into administrative fees and extra charges.
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Protection for Auditing Rights: Section 2(a)(2) stops contracts from limiting the ability of a group health plan, plan sponsor, or plan administrator to select an auditor and define the scope and frequency of audits. This empowers plans to check their accounts and prevent waste.
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 business owners be better off under this? — Business owners and plan sponsors gain direct access to claims data and auditing capabilities, empowering them to negotiate better rates and control costs. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class households relying on employer-provided health insurance benefit from reduced hidden costs and improved fraud detection in their health plans. Would union members be better off under this? — Union members covered by multi-employer or group health plans benefit from increased transparency and stronger fiduciary oversight of healthcare spending. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Lower healthcare administration costs and greater transparency can indirectly benefit low-income workers covered by employer-sponsored group health plans.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances consumer protection by eliminating contractual barriers and gag clauses that hide healthcare pricing and claims information from plan administrators. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Small businesses sponsoring group health plans gain better access to claims data and pricing transparency, helping them manage and potentially lower healthcare costs. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By increasing healthcare price transparency and reducing hidden administrative fees, the bill aims to improve overall economic efficiency in healthcare spending.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation directly targets hidden fees, gag clauses, and restricted data access, significantly improving transparency in healthcare administration. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal oversight by authorizing the Secretary of Labor to assess civil penalties and enforce new data transparency standards on network service providers.
- Healthcare
- Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Providing health plans with transparent claims data and itemized non-claim costs can help curb wasteful spending and potentially lower private insurance premiums. Does this lower the price of prescription medicines? — The inclusion of pharmacy claims and transparent pricing standards helps group health plans better monitor and manage prescription drug expenditures.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill mandates that all data exchanges strictly adhere to HIPAA privacy and security regulations while granting necessary access to plan fiduciaries.
A committee approved it and sent it to the floor
What changed from Introduced in House
The newer version of the bill updates the short title of the legislation so that it may also be cited as the ``Health DATA Act of 2026''. It also alters the specific section references related to civil enforcement penalties for individuals or entities that cannot be indemnified or relieved from liability. Specifically, the text replaces several older section references with new references to sections 502(c)(13) and 502(c)(14).
Each change
- Section 1: Added an alternative short title for the Act, allowing it to be cited as the ``Health DATA Act of 2026''.
- Section 2: Changed the civil enforcement penalty references that apply to the prohibition on indemnification and relief from liability, replacing references to sections 502(a)(13), 502(a)(14), 502(a)(15), and 727(d) with sections 502(c)(13) and 502(c)(14).
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
- 9/15/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-826.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 724.
- 8/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/25/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.
- 6/9/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House
Diana HarshbargerRepublican · Tennessee
Victoria SpartzRepublican · Indiana