HEAL-AI Act

Bill Number

H.R. 6077

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-11-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2025-12-02T15:33:24Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Healthcare Education in AI Literacy Act (HEAL-AI Act), H.R. 6077, aims to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) education into medical training. It establishes a grant program to teach medical students, residents, and faculty how to use AI ethically and effectively in healthcare, improving patient care and health outcomes through better decision-making and technology skills.

Key Provisions

• Grant Program Establishment: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), under the Secretary of Health and Human Services, will award competitive grants (up to $100,000 per year per institution) to accredited medical schools or residency programs. Grants support AI training programs focused on real-world applications.
• Eligibility and Application Requirements:
• Applicants must describe the need for AI literacy, how the grant will build interdisciplinary curricula (e.g., involving computer science experts), evaluate program effectiveness, and share resources with other medical educators.
• Assurances include compliance with reporting rules and limiting administrative costs to 10% of the grant.
• No funds can support publications in "predatory journals" (low-quality outlets that exploit researchers for fees without proper review).
• Allowed Uses of Funds:
• Developing training in AI for diagnostics, treatment recommendations, predictive analytics, clinical decision-making, ethical issues (e.g., bias in algorithms, patient privacy), and hands-on simulations or case studies.
• Institutions can collaborate with universities, nonprofits, government groups, or for-profit companies for expertise.
• Priorities and Distribution:
• Preference for programs serving medically underserved communities (e.g., low-income or rural areas).
• Emphasis on geographic diversity: Grants spread across urban, suburban, and rural U.S. regions, with a limit of two grants per Census Division.
• Grants can be renewed, but no institution receives more than $100,000 annually.
• Reporting and Transparency:
• Grantees submit annual reports on program goals, fund usage, curriculum integration, learner numbers, and collaborations.
• Educational materials must be made publicly available online within 30 days of reporting.
• Funding Authorization: $1,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support the program.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Part C of Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (which deals with general medical education and training programs) by adding a new Subpart III specifically for AI medical education. It introduces definitions for AI (machine systems that process data to influence medical decisions) and related terms, creating a dedicated grant mechanism not previously available. This expands existing HRSA grant authorities to explicitly cover AI literacy, without altering broader medical training rules.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: HRSA gains responsibility for administering, reviewing applications, and monitoring grants, potentially increasing administrative workload but fostering innovation in public health education.
• On Citizens: Medical professionals will receive standardized AI training, leading to safer, more efficient healthcare (e.g., faster diagnoses, reduced errors). Patients in underserved areas may benefit most from prioritized programs, improving access to advanced care. Broader public access to shared educational materials could raise overall AI awareness in healthcare.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic U.S. medical education.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Medical Education Institutions: Accredited medical schools (including osteopathic) and residency programs sponsoring postgraduate training, which can apply for and use grants to update curricula.
• Learners and Faculty: Medical students (in qualified schools), residents (postgraduate trainees), and faculty, who gain AI skills through funded programs.
• Government Entities: HRSA and the Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for grant oversight and funding.
• Underserved Communities: Patients and populations in medically underserved areas, who receive priority through targeted grants.
• Collaborators: Universities (e.g., computer science departments), nonprofits, and tech companies providing expertise or tools.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: The bill enforces ethical AI use in medicine (e.g., addressing bias and privacy) without creating new regulations, relying on voluntary grants. It prohibits predatory journal funding to uphold research integrity. No challenges to existing laws like HIPAA (patient privacy) are introduced, but it encourages compliance.
• Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Congress's power to spend for the general welfare (e.g., public health education) under Article I, Section 8. No free speech, privacy, or equal protection issues arise, as participation is optional.
• Political Implications: Supports bipartisan interest in AI innovation and healthcare modernization, potentially bridging technology and medicine divides. It promotes equity by prioritizing underserved areas, but funding limits ($1M/year) may constrain nationwide reach, sparking debates on scaling up.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

Recent Actions

• 2025-11-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-11-18: Introduced in House
• 2025-11-18: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Healthcare Education in AI Literacy Act — issued 2025-11-18 — PDF (11 pages)