The Health Access Innovation Act of 2025 would amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to faith- or community-based organizations. The goal is to expand access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care and to address persistent health inequities and chronic disease challenges.
The bill specifies permissible uses for the grants, eligibility criteria, and programs that could be funded, including support for community health navigators, workers, and other providers, as well as consideration of social determinants of health. It also creates a defined grant program, establishes an eligibility standard tied to underserved communities, and sets out a multi-year funding schedule with an administrative-cost cap for the secretary.
This framing aims to leverage trusted community institutions to reach hard-to-serve populations while maintaining federal program controls.
At a Glance
What It Does
The bill adds a Health Equity Innovation Grant Program under the Public Health Service Act. The Secretary may award grants to eligible faith- or community-based organizations to cover costs related to medical services, screenings, preventive care, and the expansion of culturally and linguistically appropriate services, while also supporting workforce and access initiatives and addressing social determinants of health.
Who It Affects
Eligible entities are faith- or community-based organizations located in medically underserved communities or health professional shortage areas. The program targets populations in those areas and involves collaborators such as community health navigators and workers.
Why It Matters
It creates a structured federal mechanism to fund locally trusted organizations that can reduce health disparities and improve access to care, with emphasis on culturally competent services and workforce expansion, especially in underserved areas.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill adds a new grant program to the Public Health Service Act, called the Health Equity Innovation Grant Program, to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The program is designed to fund faith- or community-based organizations that have demonstrated the ability to address chronic health disparities in medically underserved communities or in health professional shortage areas.
Grants may be used to cover necessary medical services, health screenings, preventive services, and to expand access to care—including expanding the diversity of health workers and ensuring services are culturally and linguistically appropriate. In addition to direct services, the program supports personnel such as community health navigators, community health workers, peer support specialists, and other professionals who help connect communities to care.
The bill emphasizes addressing social determinants of health and other barriers to timely, quality care. It also establishes eligibility criteria, prioritizes organizations that have operated health workforce or care access programs during a public health emergency, and defines “community-based organization” consistent with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
The program is funded through annual appropriations beginning at $50 million in FY2026 and increasing to $70 million by FY2030, with administrative costs capped at 5% of the appropriation for carrying out the section.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The Health Equity Innovation Grant Program is created under Sec. 399V–8 of the Public Health Service Act.
Grants may fund medical services, screenings, preventive care, and expansion of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Eligible recipients are faith- or community-based organizations serving medically underserved communities or health professional shortage areas.
Priority goes to entities that ran health workforce or care-access programs during a public health emergency.
Funding starts at $50M in FY2026 and rises to $70M in FY2030, with admin costs limited to 5%.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Health Equity Innovation Grant Program established
Adds a new grant program to the Public Health Service Act, authorizing the Secretary to award grants to eligible faith- or community-based organizations. The program aims to expand access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care and to address persistent health inequities and chronic disease through a mix of direct services, workforce expansion, and support for addressing social determinants of health.
General grant authority and uses
The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities for a range of activities, including covering costs of medical services, health screenings, preventive services, and expanding access to care. Grants may also support workforce diversification and the deployment of community health navigators, promotores de salud, peer supporters, and other professionals who help connect communities to care.
Eligibility
Eligibility is limited to faith- or community-based organizations that have demonstrated the ability to address chronic health disparities in communities disproportionately affected and are located in medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas.
Priority
In awarding grants, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that established or operated one or more health workforce or health care access programs during a public health emergency.
Definitions
The term ‘community-based organization’ is defined as in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, ensuring alignment with the broader federal context.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized an appropriations schedule: $50,000,000 for FY2026; $55,000,000 for FY2027; $60,000,000 for FY2028; $65,000,000 for FY2029; and $70,000,000 for FY2030. Not more than 5 percent of the funds may be used for administrative costs by the Secretary.
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Who Benefits
- Faith- or community-based organizations that receive grant funding and can expand culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
- Medically underserved communities and residents within Health Professional Shortage Areas who gain improved access to care and tailored services.
- Community health navigators, community health workers (including promotores de salud), peer support specialists, and other frontline health workers who gain new roles and funding.
- Local health systems and partners that collaborate with grantees to expand access and address social determinants of health.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal government (U.S. Treasury/taxpayers) funds the program through annual appropriations, representing the primary public cost.
- Recipient organizations incur administrative and reporting costs to administer grants and comply with program requirements, within the 5% admin cap.
- HHS bears ongoing administrative responsibilities to oversee grants, monitor compliance, and manage program integrity within the cap.
- Potential opportunity costs for other programs as funds are diverted to this grant program, reflected in the broader federal budget context.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is whether to maximize reach and trust by funding faith- or community-based groups versus ensuring strict, uniform federal oversight and uniform service delivery standards, all while addressing historic inequities and maintaining separation of church and state where applicable.
The program leverages trusted faith- and community-based organizations to reach underserved populations, which can improve equity and access. However, it introduces considerations around accountability, program reporting, and ensuring that federal funding supports public health outcomes without inappropriately directing funds toward religious activities.
The reliance on community organizations also raises questions about measuring impact, coordinating with existing health systems, and avoiding duplication of existing programs. Balancing rapid deployment during emergencies with rigorous oversight will be important for effective implementation.
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