H.R. 10824 — Stroke Education and EMS Care Improvement Act of 2026

This section provides the short title “Stroke Education and EMS Care Improvement Act of 2026” and defines “Secretary” as the Secretary of Health and Human Services and “State” as the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

This section finds that stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, with approximately 795,000 people experiencing a stroke annually, and that variation in emergency medical services training and stroke care protocols results in treatment delays and suboptimal outcomes. It states that nationwide standardization of stroke education for EMS clinicians is needed to improve patient outcomes and address healthcare disparities in urban and rural communities.

This section establishes the National Standardized EMS Stroke Education Program no later than 2 years after enactment. It directs the Secretary to develop and implement a standardized, evidence-based curriculum on stroke symptom recognition, pre-hospital management, and transport protocols for EMS personnel; award competitive grants to state and local EMS agencies with priority for underserved and rural areas; collect data on training numbers, treatment times, mortality rates, and state variations; submit annual reports to Congress; ensure online access for remote areas; and authorize such sums as necessary for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.