Bill · H.R. 8943· House(119-HR-8943)
Our Doctors First Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 5/20/2026
- Last activity
- 5/20/2026 — 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.
- Sponsored by
- W. Steube
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Our Doctors First Act of 2026" seeks to amend the Social Security Act regarding Medicare payments. It aims to prohibit payments for graduate medical education costs associated with individuals who are not citizens or nationals of the United States. This applies to direct costs for residents and indirect costs for medical education. The bill establishes specific rules for hospitals and nonhospital providers regarding these payments. It also introduces a system of sanctions and civil monetary penalties for those who violate these rules.
Yes
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?+2
The bill reduces Medicare spending by prohibiting payments for graduate medical education for non-citizens.
The opposite· 3 of 8
Would immigrants be better off under this?-5
The bill explicitly bars non-citizens from benefiting from Medicare-funded graduate medical education.
Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65?-3
The bill reduces Medicare funding by prohibiting payments for graduate medical education for non-citizen residents.
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?-2
The restriction on medical education funding may negatively impact immigrant communities, which include many Hispanic Americans.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Restriction of Medicare Funds to Citizens/Nationals: Under Section 2(a)(2)(L) and Section 2(b)(1)(A)(xiv), the bill ensures that Medicare payments for graduate medical education are only provided for individuals who are citizens or nationals of the United States.
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Establishment of Penalties for Non-compliance: Section 2(a)(3) and Section 2(c)(3)(B) create a structure of civil monetary penalties and exclusions for hospitals or providers that incorrectly include non-citizen residents in their cost reports.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Penalties for Hospitals: Under Section 2(a)(3)(A)(i) and (ii), hospitals may face a civil monetary penalty of 25 percent of the payment amount for a first violation, or a $1,000,000 penalty for a second violation.
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Exclusion from Payments: Section 2(a)(3)(A)(iii) and (iv) state that hospitals could be excluded from receiving payments for a period of 5 years or 10 years depending on the number of violations.
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Financial Penalties for Non-hospital Providers: Under Section 2(c)(3)(B)(i), qualified non-hospital providers may face a civil monetary penalty of 25 percent of the requested payment amount for a first violation, or $1,000,000 for a second violation.
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Exclusion for Non-hospital Providers: Section 2(c)(3)(B)(iii) and (iv) allow for qualified non-hospital providers to be excluded from receiving payments for 5 years or 10 years for subsequent violations.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants-5Good For Hispanic Americans-2Good For Low Income Households-1
- Healthcare
- Increases Medicare Funding-3Improves Healthcare Access-2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity-2Improves Pathway To Citizenship-1
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+2
- Education And Technology
- Improves College Affordability-2
- 5/20/2026
- 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.
- Introduced in House