Bill > HR7409

This bill, titled the "Defend Rural Health Act of 2026," aims to limit how certain hospitals can be reclassified geographically under the Medicare program, which can affect their reimbursement rates. Specifically, it amends Section 1886(d)(8)(E) of the Social Security Act to require hospitals seeking to be treated as being in an urban area to meet specific criteria, and it clarifies that a hospital designated as rural as of January 1, 2026, must continue to meet certain criteria to maintain that designation after October 1, 2029. Furthermore, it amends Section 1886(d)(10)(D) to prevent the Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board (MGCRB), an entity that reviews hospital reclassification requests, from approving applications for geographic changes if a hospital is already being treated as rural, and it prohibits dual reclassifications where a hospital is treated as rural and also seeks a geographic change. These changes are intended to provide more stability and predictability in how hospitals are classified for Medicare payment purposes.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7409/all-info