Schiff Introduces Equal Health Care for All Act

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) has reintroduced the Equal Health Care for All Act, which aims to protect access to equitable health care for all Americans. The legislation seeks to address racial inequities and systemic failures that persist in the United States medical system, leading to health and mortality disparities among Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities.

The bill would make equal access to health care a protected civil right, establishing a definition for “inequitable health care” to ensure that hospitals provide the same high-quality health care services to all patients, regardless of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or religion. The legislation would also create a Federal Health Equity Commission to oversee the progress of health equity efforts, improve data collection efforts to inform more equitable health care practices, and provide grants to encourage providers to practice equitable health care.

“In America, everyone should receive high-quality health care,” said Rep. Schiff. “Communities of color continue to receive disparate care in medical facilities and as a result have a higher likelihood of serious illness and death. Today, I reintroduced the Equal Health Care for All Act to ensure that equitable health care becomes the standard and all Americans can feel confident that they will receive the best medical care possible.”

The Equal Health Care for All Act builds on the landmark Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022, which included key provisions of Rep. Schiff’s legislation. The Health Equity and Accountability Act is introduced each Congress by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to address health disparities in the United States.

The legislation is endorsed by several prominent organizations, including the NAACP, National Urban League, National Disability Rights Network, and American Diabetes Association. With the reintroduction of the Equal Health Care for All Act, Rep. Schiff is working to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality health care, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or other factors.