February 11, 2025
Mrs. Fischer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive certain distance requirements for certain hospitals electing to be designated as critical access hospitals.
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 Supporting Access to Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2025
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Sec. 2. Waiving certain distance requirements for certain hospitals electing to be designated as critical access hospitals
(a) In general
Section 1820(c)(2)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–4(c)(2)(B)(i)) is amended—
(1)
in subclause (I), by striking or
at the end;
(2)
in subclause (II), by adding or
at the end; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new subclause:
(III)
with respect to designations occurring during the 1-year period beginning on the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this subclause, is a rural community hospital (as defined in subsection (f) of section 410A of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003) that was participating in the demonstration program established under such section as of such date of enactment.
(b) Conforming amendments
Section 410A(f)(1)(A)(iv) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note) is amended by striking is not
and all that follows through the period and inserting is not a critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Security Act).
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