How FIGS’ New ‘Healthcare is Human Act’ Would Create a New $6K Tax Credit for Nurses
- The bipartisan ‘Healthcare is Human Act’ would create a federal tax credit of up to $6,000 a year for eligible healthcare workers in shortage areas.
- The bill, developed with FIGS, targets clinicians who work a minimum number of hours in HPSAs and VA facilities and meet income limits.
- Supporters say the tax credit could help recruit and retain nurses and other providers in underserved communities.
Image source: FIGS
A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress could provide financial relief to nurses and other healthcare professionals through a federal tax credit.
The proposed legislation, called the Healthcare is Human Act, would offer eligible healthcare workers up to $6,000 per year in tax credits if they provide care in communities experiencing provider shortages. The bill was introduced in March 2026 by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) and was developed in partnership with healthcare apparel company FIGS.
What the ‘Healthcare is Human Act’ Would Do
If passed, the bill would create a federal income tax credit of up to $500 per month, totaling $6,000 annually, for qualifying healthcare professionals working in designated shortage areas. To qualify, healthcare professionals would need to:
- Earn less than $200,000 annually ($400,000 for joint filers)
- Provide at least 80 hours of care per month for at least eight months per year in a qualifying facility
The goal is to encourage clinicians to practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities that are enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid and facing staffing shortages.
Who Introduced the Bill
The legislation was introduced as a bipartisan effort by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV).
Rep. Tenney said the bill is intended to help improve access to care in underserved communities: “The Healthcare is Human Act provides meaningful incentives for doctors, nurses, and other licensed professionals to deliver care where it is needed most.”
Rep. Horsford added that many communities face significant barriers to accessing care: “Too many Nevadans are forced to travel farther, wait longer, or go without the care they need.”
Why FIGS Developed and Supports the Bill
FIGS has advocated for policies supporting healthcare workers and worked with lawmakers to help develop the proposal behind the legislation.
According to FIGS CEO and co-founder Trina Spear, the company views the bill as a way to better recognize clinicians: “Healthcare is human — it’s about real people who give everything of themselves to care for others.”
She noted that many healthcare workers face ongoing financial pressures: “Too many are underpaid and undervalued, creating a deep unfairness for healthcare professionals as well as staffing shortages that cause serious social harm.”
The proposal follows FIGS’ Awesome Humans on the Hill advocacy day in 2025, when healthcare professionals met with lawmakers to discuss workforce challenges and compensation.
Similar Efforts in the Past
Congress has considered similar legislation before. In the 118th Congress (2023-2024), lawmakers introduced the Healthcare Worker Retention Act, which proposed a refundable tax credit (up to $2,000 over two years) for healthcare workers earning under certain income thresholds.
Although that bill did not pass, it reflected growing interest in using financial incentives to address healthcare staffing shortages.
What It Could Mean for Nurses
If passed, the ‘Healthcare is Human Act’ could provide thousands of dollars in annual tax relief for nurses and other healthcare professionals working in shortage areas.
For bedside nurses, key questions will be:
- Whether all license types (RNs, LPNs/LVNs, APRNs, and others) are clearly included in the final statutory language.
- How eligibility will work for nurses who split time between qualifying and non‑qualifying facilities.
- Whether employers treat this as a true supplement to better pay and safer staffing — or quietly lean on the credit instead of raising wages.
While the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process, supporters say it represents one step toward addressing workforce shortages and recognizing the essential contributions of healthcare workers across the country.
🤔Nurses, what do you think about FIGS' bill? Share your thoughts below.
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