H.R. 6167House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

HEALTH Act of 2025

Introduced November 20, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated December 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM UTC

The HEALTH Act creates a federal tax deduction for doctors who provide unpaid care to patients covered by Medicaid or state child health plans. It also shields those physicians from civil liability for such charity care unless their actions are intentional or grossly negligent. The bill applies to care given after December 31, 2025.

Key Provisions

  • Physicians can deduct the unreimbursed Medicare‑based value of qualified charity care from their taxable income.
  • Qualified charity care is defined as services given without expectation of payment to individuals enrolled in Medicaid or state child health plans.
  • The deduction excludes services funded by certain appropriations and any sex‑reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments performed for gender alteration.
  • The deduction is allowed even for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions.
  • Physicians providing qualified charity care are protected from federal and state civil lawsuits unless the conduct was intentional, knowing, reckless, or grossly negligent, and the provision preempts conflicting state laws.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

November 20, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 20, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

November 20, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 20, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6167

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 20, 2025

Mr. Webster of Florida (for himself, Mr. Steube, Mr. Mann, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Gosar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a deduction for certain charity care furnished by physicians, to amend the Public Health Safety Act to limit the liability of physicians providing certain charity care, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Helping Everyone Access Long Term Healthcare Act of 2025 or the HEALTH Act of 2025.

2.

Deduction for qualified charity care

(a)

In general

Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating section 226 as section 227 and inserting after section 225 the following new section:

226.

Qualified charity care

(a)

In general

In the case of a physician (as defined in section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act), there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the unreimbursed Medicare-based value of qualified charity care furnished by such taxpayer during such year.

(b)

Unreimbursed medicare-Based value

For purposes of this section, the term ‘unreimbursed Medicare-based value’ means, with respect to qualified charity care, the amount payable for such care under the physician fee schedule established under section 1848 of the Social Security Act.

(c)

Qualified charity care

For purposes of this section—

(1)

In general

The term qualified charity care means physicians’ services that are furnished—

(A)

without reimbursement or the expectation of reimbursement, and

(B)

to an individual enrolled—

(i)

under a State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (or a waiver of such plan), or

(ii)

under a State child health plan under title XXI of the Social Security Act (or a waiver of such plan).

(2)

Exclusion

The term ‘qualified charity care’ does not include—

(A)

services for which funding is prohibited under sections 506 and 507 of title V of division D of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,

(B)

sex reassignment surgeries furnished for the purpose of the gender alteration of a transgender individual, or

(C)

hormone treatments furnished for the purpose of the gender alteration of a transgender individual.

(d)

Physicians’ services

For purposes of this section, the term ‘physicians’ services’ has the meaning given such term by section 1861(q) of the Social Security Act.

.

(b)

Deduction allowed to non-Itemizers

Section 63(b) of such Code is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (6), by striking and,

(2)

in paragraph (7), by striking the period and inserting , and, and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(8)

the deduction provided in section 227.

.

(c)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 is amended by redesignating the item relating to section 226 as relating to section 227 and by inserting after the item relating to section 223 the following new item:

.

(d)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to qualified charity care (as defined in section 199B(c) of such Code) furnished after December 31, 2025.

3.

Limitation on liability for physicians furnishing qualified charity care

The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 224 (42 U.S.C. 233) the following:

224A.

Limitation on liability for physicians furnishing qualified charity care

(a)

Limitation on liability

A physician or attending medical personnel shall not be liable under Federal or State law in any civil action for any harm caused by an act or omission of such physician or attending medical personnel, if such act or omission—

(1)

occurred in the course of furnishing qualified charity care (as defined in section 199B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); and

(2)

was not intentional, knowing, reckless, or grossly negligent.

(b)

Preemption

This section preempts the laws of a State or any political subdivision of a State to the extent that such laws are inconsistent with this section, unless such laws provide greater protection from liability for a defendant.

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