Sponsor
Mike Flood
Representative · R-NE
Representative · R-NE
The bill increases and protects patients' access to clergy—including during emergencies—while creating new operational, legal, and infection-control trade-offs that hospitals and states will need to manage.
Medicare beneficiaries and other hospitalized patients can designate clergy to visit starting Jan 1, 2028, preserving access to religious and spiritual support during inpatient and Medicare-covered care.
Patients will be able to receive clergy visits even during declared emergencies when section 1135 waivers are in effect, ensuring continuity of spiritual care in crises.
The Secretary will issue safety protocols (e.g., infection control, PPE) to standardize conditions for clergy access, giving providers clear rules to allow visits safely.
Hospitals' ability to restrict visitors during acute crises could be limited, complicating infection-control and emergency-response measures and potentially increasing health risks.
Hospitals and other Medicare-participating providers will face added operational burdens and costs to screen, supervise, and accommodate clergy visitors under required safety protocols.
Patients and staff who prefer secular care or who have privacy/safety concerns could be exposed to unwanted visits if the policy and consent protections are insufficient.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires Medicare-participating providers to allow a patient-designated clergy member access on request, overriding section 1135 waivers, with safety protocols set by the Secretary.
Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require providers of services to provide patients access to clergy.
Introduced July 22, 2026 by Mike Flood · Last progress July 22, 2026
Requires health care providers that participate in Medicare to allow a patient-designated clergy member access to that patient on request, starting January 1, 2028. The requirement overrides any emergency waiver under section 1135 and lets the Secretary set safety protocols the clergy must follow. Creates a new statutory obligation for participating providers to permit clergy visits notwithstanding certain waiver authorities, and gives the Secretary rulemaking authority to define safety and other protocols in consultation with providers, states, and religious organizations.