HouseH.R. 8986119th Congress
Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8986 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8986
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow for the
designation of certain facilities as critical access hospitals under
the Medicare program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2026
Mr. Newhouse (for himself and Mr. Larsen of Washington) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow for the
designation of certain facilities as critical access hospitals under
the Medicare program.
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 ``Ensuring Rural Health Care Access
for Military and Tribal Families Act''.
SEC. 2. PROVIDING ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES, DEPENDENTS, AND VETERANS IN RURAL AREAS.
Section 1820(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-
4(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting ``subject to
subparagraph (F),'' before ``is a hospital'';
(2) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking ``The total'' and
inserting ``Subject to subparagraph (F), the total''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(F) Essential health care access for members of
the armed forces, dependents, and veterans in rural
areas.--
``(i) In general.--Beginning October 1,
2026, a State may designate a facility as a
critical access hospital without regard to the
criteria under subparagraph (B)(i) if the
facility meets 3 or more of the following
criteria:
``(I) The hospital--
``(aa) delivers health care
services to individuals covered
under the TRICARE program (as
defined in section 1072 of
title 10, United States Code)
and veterans enrolled in the
patient enrollment system under
section 1705 of title 38,
United States Code, living in
rural areas; and
``(bb) is located in a
county (or equivalent unit of
local government) in a rural
area (as defined in section
1886(d)(2)(D)) or is treated as
being located in a rural area
pursuant to section
1886(d)(8)(E), or is located in
an area that otherwise meets
the definition of rural
established by the Federal
Office of Rural Health Policy.
``(II) The hospital is not a sole
community hospital (as defined in
section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii)).
``(III) At the time of designation,
8 percent or more of the annual gross
revenue of the hospital and its
provider-based departments, including
affiliated outpatient department and
provider-based clinics, is derived from
services provided to individuals
covered under the TRICARE program.
``(IV) At the time of designation,
15 percent or more of the annual gross
revenue from labor and delivery
services of the hospital is derived
from services provided to individuals
covered under the TRICARE program.
``(V) The hospital is located on a
reservation (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Health Care Improvement
Act).
``(ii) Psychiatric and rehabilitation
distinct part units.--A facility described in
clause (i) may establish a distinct part unit
under subparagraph (E) without regard to the
limitation on number of beds under clause (ii)
of such subparagraph. The Secretary may not
take a distinct part unit so established by
such facility into account when determining
whether such facility is primarily engaged in
providing the services described in section
1861(e)(1).''.
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