Access to Community Care Act of 2026
- Sponsor
- Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]
- Committees
- Energy and Commerce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Oct 5, 2026
Bottom line
The bill prioritizes federal support for community health centers that are expanding services in areas recently impacted by health center closures, public health emergencies, or major disasters.
What it actually does
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate that the Secretary of Health and Human Services give special consideration to applications from eligible health entities seeking to expand services. This priority applies to entities serving areas that have experienced a significant increase in new patients due to a Federally qualified health center closure within the last four years, or an area affected by a public health emergency or major disaster within the last year.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that this bill will strengthen the healthcare safety net by ensuring that federal resources are swiftly directed to communities facing immediate and acute needs due to sudden disruptions in healthcare access or public health crises. It provides a mechanism to support health centers that are stepping up to fill critical gaps in care, thereby enhancing community resilience and health equity.
Opponents contend
Critics might contend that while addressing immediate crises is important, this specific prioritization could inadvertently divert attention or resources from other areas with chronic, long-standing healthcare access issues that do not meet the criteria of recent emergencies or closures. This could lead to a reactive rather than a proactive approach to addressing systemic healthcare disparities.
The bill is exceptionally short and clearly written, making it very accessible for any reader to understand its core provisions quickly and thoroughly.
Section 2, amending Section 330(e)(6)(B) of the Public Health Service Act
Priority for Expanding Service Applications from Certain Entities
This provision directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give special consideration when reviewing applications from eligible entities that want to expand their health services. This priority is granted if the entity serves an area that has seen a significant increase in new patients due to a Federally qualified health center (FQHC) closing nearby within the last four years, or an area that has been affected by a public health emergency or a major disaster declared by the President within the last year.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this provision is crucial for rapidly deploying resources to communities most in need, ensuring that vulnerable populations do not suffer prolonged gaps in care following disruptive events. It allows the federal government to be responsive to immediate crises and support local health centers that are critical first responders.
Critics contend
Critics might argue that by focusing on reactive measures, this provision could inadvertently create a bias against communities with chronic, systemic healthcare access issues that do not stem from recent emergencies or closures. This could lead to an uneven distribution of resources, potentially neglecting long-standing disparities.
Tradeoffs
The provision navigates the tension between providing immediate, responsive aid to communities facing acute healthcare crises and the broader goal of addressing chronic, systemic healthcare access disparities across all underserved areas. Prioritizing one may implicitly deprioritize the other without additional funding.