H.R. 3635
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2025
Also known as: "HEAA 2025"
Sponsored by Rep. Robin Kelly (D) · 29 cosponsors
Legislative timeline
Introduced
In committee
Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee; no hearing scheduled
Last reviewed by our editors: Apr 22, 2026
What this bill does
The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2025 would establish an Office of Minority Health within every HHS operating division, mandate implicit bias training at federally qualified health centers, and require CMS to publish race- and ethnicity-stratified quality metrics for every participating hospital, nursing home, and health plan.
It also expands the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and authorizes a $1 billion Social Determinants of Health Trust Fund.
Who benefits
Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian American patients at federally qualified health centers. Minority health researchers seeking NIH funding. State health departments using CMS quality data to identify disparities. Community health workers who receive expanded Medicaid reimbursement authorization under the bill's workforce provisions.
Who loses / who opposes
Hospitals that currently avoid publishing race-stratified quality data. Some private health plans object to reporting requirements as burdensome. Politically, the bill faces opposition from legislators who frame race-conscious health policy as divisive following recent Supreme Court decisions.
Impact on Black communities
Black Americans experience 30% higher all-cause mortality than white Americans despite no genetic basis for the disparity. CDC and NIH research consistently attributes the gap to structural factors. HEAA directly addresses implicit bias training (shown to reduce differential treatment in pain management and maternal care) and race-stratified quality reporting (enabling CMS to condition reimbursement on equity performance).
What you can do
Contact House Energy and Commerce Committee members and urge a committee hearing. Phone 202-225-3121. Support the Congressional Black Caucus health equity letter-writing campaign at cbc.house.gov.