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Protecting Access to Spiritual Treatment and Organized Religion Act of 2026
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require providers of services to provide patients access to clergy.
Summary
- Amends Medicare law to require healthcare providers to allow patients to designate and receive visits from clergy members of their choice.
- Permits clergy members to access patients upon the patient's request, provided the clergy member follows safety measures and protocols established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
- Applies to all Medicare providers of services beginning January 1, 2028.
- Requires the Secretary to establish safety measures and protocols in consultation with healthcare providers, states, and religious organizations.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1] (R-NE)
Actions (2)
- Jul 22, 2026 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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. · house
- Jul 22, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2026
Mr. Flood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require providers of services to provide patients access to clergy.
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 “Protecting Access to Spiritual Treatment and Organized Religion Act of 2026” or the “PASTOR Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING PROVIDERS OF SERVICES TO PROVIDE PATIENTS ACCESS TO CLERGY.
Section 1866(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(1)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (X), by striking “and” at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (Y), by striking the period and inserting “, and”; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (Y) the following new subparagraph:
“(Z) beginning January 1, 2028, upon request of an individual receiving items and services from such provider and notwithstanding any waiver under section 1135, to allow a member of clergy designated by such individual access to such individual, provided that such clergy member adheres to such safety measures and other protocols as may be specified by the Secretary (in consultation with providers of services, States, and religious organizations).”. <all>
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