H.R. 10632 – Medicaid Whistleblower Protection Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 2, 2026 at 5:22 AM UTC

The Medicaid Whistleblower Protection Act would require each state’s Medicaid program to have laws that protect employees and contractors who report wrongdoing. Starting in 2028, states must assure the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services that they prohibit retaliation against whistleblowers and provide a process for relief, including reinstatement, back‑pay, damages and possibly punitive damages. The rule applies to anyone working on Medicaid administration, management, oversight, or service delivery.

Key Provisions

States must, by Jan 1 2028, certify to the HHS Secretary that they have laws preventing retaliation against Medicaid whistleblowers and that they offer an administrative and judicial process for relief.
Allowed remedies for retaliation include reinstatement with seniority, up to two times back pay with interest, compensation for special damages and attorneys’ fees, and punitive damages for malicious actions.
Defines key terms: “adverse employment action” (e.g., discharge, demotion, harassment), “covered entity” (including supervisors, state Medicaid agencies, HHS, OIG, Congress, etc.), “covered individual” (employees, contractors, agents involved in Medicaid), and “protected disclosure” (reports of legal violations, fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, authority abuse, or public‑health danger).

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

September 28, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 28, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

September 28, 2026

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 28, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10632

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 28, 2026

Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself, Mrs. Cammack, and Mrs. Fischbach) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require certain protections for whistleblowers under the Medicaid program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Medicaid Whistleblower Protection Act.

2.

Requiring protections for whistleblowers under Medicaid

Section 1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (89), by striking and at the end;

(B)

in paragraph (90), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by inserting after paragraph (90) the following new paragraph:

(91)

provide that, beginning January 1, 2028, the State shall comply with the whistleblower protection requirements under subsection (zz).

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(zz)

Whistleblower protection requirements

(1)

In general

For purposes of subsection (a)(91), the whistleblower protection requirements under this subsection are that the State shall provide assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that such State has in effect laws that—

(A)

prohibit adverse employment actions that are taken against a covered individual because such individual made a protected disclosure; and

(B)

establish procedures under which an individual who alleges that such an action was taken against such individual may seek relief, which shall include any applicable remedies described in paragraph (2), through an administrative process and, in the case that such individual disagrees with the outcome of such administrative process, through judicial review.

(2)

Remedies described

For purposes of paragraph (1), the remedies described in this paragraph are the following:

(A)

Reinstatement of employment at the seniority status that the covered individual would have if the adverse employment action described in paragraph (1)(A) that was taken with respect to such individual had not occurred.

(B)

2 times back pay, including interest at a rate to be determined by the Secretary.

(C)

Compensation for special damages sustained as a result of such adverse employment action, including litigation costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

(D)

In the case that such adverse employment action was taken with malice or reckless indifference to the rights of such covered individual under this subsection, punitive damages.

(3)

Definitions

In this subsection—

(A)

Adverse employment action

The term adverse employment action means, with respect to the terms and conditions of employment of an individual, a discharge, demotion, suspension, threat, incidence of harassment, or other act of discrimination directed at such individual.

(B)

Covered entity

The term covered entity means—

(i)

a supervisor;

(ii)

a State Medicaid agency;

(iii)

a State or Federal law enforcement agency;

(iv)

the Department of Health and Human Services;

(v)

the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services;

(vi)

Congress; or

(vii)

any other entity designated by the Secretary.

(C)

Covered individual

The term covered individual means an individual who is engaged in the administration, management, oversight, or delivery of items or services under a State plan (or waiver of such plan) and is an employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent of such State or a political subdivision of such State.

(D)

Protected disclosure

The term protected disclosure means a disclosure of information by a covered individual to a covered entity that such individual reasonably believes evidences, with respect to a State Medicaid program—

(i)

a violation of an applicable law, rule, or regulation;

(ii)

fraud, waste, or abuse involving Federal or State funds;

(iii)

gross mismanagement;

(iv)

an abuse of authority; or

(v)

a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.

.