S. 4357: Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act
The Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act aims to provide additional financial support to essential health care workers during emergencies or disasters. The bill specifically modifies the Public Health Service Act by establishing a framework for emergency grants that assist these workers, whose roles are crucial in keeping public health safe, especially during crises like pandemics or natural disasters.
Key Provisions
Definitions
The bill begins by defining several important terms:
- Emergency or disaster: This includes any major disaster or emergency declared by the President or a public health emergency.
- Eligible health care worker: A health care worker who cannot work remotely.
- Essential health care worker: This includes various roles such as health care providers, medical technologists, public health workers, direct care workers, and others involved in essential patient care.
Grants for Health Care Facilities
The bill authorizes grants to public or nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies. The funds from these grants can be used for the following purposes:
- Hazardous Duty Compensation: Health care workers can receive additional pay for work considered hazardous due to the emergency. This compensation can be up to $13 per hour and cannot exceed $25,000 per worker annually.
- Safety Measures: Funds can also cover safety measures to protect health care workers, such as providing personal protective equipment, enhancing safety protocols, or offering alternative transportation options.
Implementation and Funding
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is responsible for administering these grants, and the bill allows for the appropriation of necessary funds from the government to support this initiative.
Relevance to Health Care Workers
The focus of this legislation is to ensure that health care workers receive adequate compensation and protection, particularly during declared emergencies, in recognition of the risks associated with their essential roles.
Relevant Companies
- UNH - UnitedHealth Group Incorporated: A large health insurance provider that may see an increase in claims related to hazardous duty compensation as health care workers receive additional pay during emergencies.
- HCA - HCA Healthcare, Inc.: As a major provider of health care services, HCA may be directly affected by the provisions of this bill regarding grants and increased compensation for their health care staff.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
2 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Apr. 21, 2026 | Introduced in Senate |
| Apr. 21, 2026 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. |
Corporate Lobbying
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