Bill > HR5821

This bill amends the Social Security Act to provide special treatment for certain rural hospitals under the Medicare program. Specifically, the bill allows some hospitals that were originally designated as critical access hospitals (CAHs) before January 1, 2002, to maintain their CAH status even if they no longer meet the strict location requirements, provided they meet certain conditions. To qualify, these hospitals must have been certified as a CAH as of December 31, 2024, and must have been located in a county without any other hospitals, critical access hospitals, or rural emergency hospitals at the time they were notified of losing their certification. Critical access hospitals are typically small, rural facilities that provide essential healthcare services in areas with limited medical infrastructure, and they receive special Medicare reimbursement rates to help sustain their operations. The bill, known as the "Rural Hospital Fairness Act," aims to preserve healthcare access in remote or underserved regions by protecting the status of these important medical facilities.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5821/all-info