Summary#
This measure would add new programs and funding to train more health professionals in palliative care and hospice, support faculty careers, expand short-term fellowships, and promote research and public information. It amends parts of the Public Health Service Act to create: grant and contract programs for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Programs; grants for palliative medicine physician training; Palliative Care and Hospice Academic Career Awards for junior faculty; workforce development fellowships; career incentive awards for students and trainees; and a requirement for federal agencies to post and share palliative care information. It also directs the National Institutes of Health to develop a strategy to expand palliative care research and to include palliative care in research reporting beginning January 1, 2026. The bill sets an effective date of 90 days after enactment and includes a restriction that funds cannot be used for services barred by section 3 of Public Law 105-12. It also states that palliative care and hospice may not be provided to cause or assist in causing a patient’s death.
What it means for you#
- Medical, nursing, social work, physician assistant, chaplaincy, pharmacy, psychology, and related students and faculty could gain more training opportunities and funded fellowships.
- Schools, hospitals, and other eligible programs can apply for grants to create or expand palliative and hospice training and to retrain faculty.
- Practicing clinicians without formal palliative training could access short-term intensive fellowships to upgrade skills.
- People with serious or life‑threatening illness and their families may see more public information about palliative care on federal agency websites and could have more local access to trained palliative care teams if programs are funded in their area.
- Individuals who receive certain career awards must spend most of their funded time teaching palliative care; other award recipients must commit to at least 5 years of teaching or practicing in palliative care after the award.
Expenses#
- Authorization: $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the main Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training section.
- Authorization: $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the hospice and palliative nursing education section.
- Workforce development awards: up to $150,000 per award; no more than 24 programs may receive this award.
- Academic Career Awards: term may not exceed 5 years; award amount is set equal to the amount provided under section 753(b)(5)(A) for the fiscal year involved (the bill references that other section for the dollar amount).
- The Secretary will make payments to educational institutions on behalf of awardees.
Proponents' View#
The sponsors state the measure is meant to increase the number of permanent faculty and trained professionals in palliative care and hospice, promote education and research, and support career development for academic palliative and hospice specialists. The text gives priorities for funding to benefit rural and medically underserved areas, pediatric and racial and ethnic minority populations, and to encourage integration of palliative care across care settings.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.