119th Congress · introduced in the House · Jul 13, 2026
Essential Caregivers Act of 2026
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jul 15, 2026): Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 38 - 0.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Health
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Jul 13, 2026)
Essential Caregivers Act of 2026
This bill requires certain nursing and long-term care facilities to ensure residents have access to their designated essential caregivers during periods of restricted visitation.
Specifically, the bill requires Medicare skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, as well as Medicaid nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, to allow residents to designate two essential caregivers and to allow these caregivers in-person access to residents even when visitation is otherwise restricted.
Facilities may limit access of essential caregivers only in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as specified. Essential caregivers must agree to follow all safety protocols established by the facility, which may be no more restrictive than the protocols for staff.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 38 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Health facilities and institutions · Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
1 citation.
ASSOCIATION FOR FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION · lobbying firm or registrant: ASSOCIATION FOR FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 19, 2026 · issue area: Health Issues
$46,949
Spent on own lobbying
Credit for Caregiving Act (H.R. 2036 and S. 925), The Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act (H.R. 8792 / S. 4513), The Essential Caregivers Act of 2026 (H.R. 9641/S. 3492, OMB Federal Financial Assistance Rule)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing