Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7686 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7686 To recognize the importance of clinical roles of locum tenens physicians, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 25, 2026 Mr. Carter of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, 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 _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To recognize the importance of clinical roles of locum tenens physicians, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act''. SEC. 2. FEDERAL RECOGNITION OF LOCUM TENENS CLINICAL ROLES. (a) Classification of Locum Tenens Physicians.-- (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for the purposes of a Federal law or program described in subsection (b), with respect to health services performed by an individual who is a qualified locum tenens physician or advanced care practitioner-- (A) such individual shall not be considered an employee of the entity on behalf of which the services are performed, including any contracting agency or payor; (B) such entity shall not be considered an employer of such individual; and (C) any remuneration paid or received for such services shall be treated as remuneration for services performed by an independent contractor. (2) Exception for express employer-employee relationship.-- Paragraph (1) shall not a