H.R. 2191: Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
This bill, titled the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
, proposes amendments to the Social Security Act specifically relating to physician-owned hospitals. The key components of this legislation include:
Revisions to Self-Referral Exemptions
The bill aims to amend existing self-referral provisions that apply to physician-owned hospitals. This involves modifying language to clarify the applicability of these provisions for different types of hospitals. Specifically:
- It revises certain exemptions that allow physicians to refer patients to hospitals they own, subject to specific conditions.
- It introduces a new classification called
covered rural hospital
, which refers to hospitals in rural areas that are significantly distanced from other healthcare facilities, thereby emphasizing access to quality care in rural settings.
Definition of Covered Rural Hospital
The legislation defines a covered rural hospital
as a hospital that:
- Is located in a rural area as determined by the appropriate federal definitions.
- Is situated more than 35 miles away from the nearest hospital, or 15 miles away in cases of difficult terrain or limited road access, at the time it enrolls for Medicare services.
Expansion of Existing Physician-Owned Hospitals
Furthermore, the bill allows for the expansion of existing physician-owned hospitals by removing restrictions that currently apply:
- It eliminates a previous prohibition on the expansion of these hospitals, thereby permitting physician-owned hospitals to grow and potentially enhance their services and reach within their communities.
Implementation Timeline
The changes proposed in this bill would take effect upon its enactment, facilitating immediate adjustments to how physician-owned hospitals operate under the law.
Targeted Provisions
This legislation is designed to address the needs of rural healthcare systems and improve access to medical services in less populated areas, aligning healthcare availability with the realities faced by rural populations.
Relevant Companies
None found
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
27 bill sponsors
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TrackH. Morgan Griffith
Sponsor
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TrackTroy Balderson
Co-Sponsor
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TrackAmi Bera
Co-Sponsor
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TrackStephanie I. Bice
Co-Sponsor
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TrackMichael Cloud
Co-Sponsor
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TrackJ. Luis Correa
Co-Sponsor
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TrackDonald G. Davis
Co-Sponsor
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TrackNeal P. Dunn
Co-Sponsor
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TrackGabe Evans
Co-Sponsor
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TrackVicente Gonzalez
Co-Sponsor
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TrackAndy Harris
Co-Sponsor
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TrackKevin Hern
Co-Sponsor
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TrackClay Higgins
Co-Sponsor
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TrackJohn Joyce
Co-Sponsor
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TrackRichard McCormick
Co-Sponsor
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TrackMariannette Miller-Meeks
Co-Sponsor
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TrackRobert Onder
Co-Sponsor
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TrackAugust Pfluger
Co-Sponsor
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TrackAustin Scott
Co-Sponsor
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TrackPete Sessions
Co-Sponsor
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TrackVictoria Spartz
Co-Sponsor
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TrackJill N. Tokuda
Co-Sponsor
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TrackDavid G. Valadao
Co-Sponsor
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TrackBeth Van Duyne
Co-Sponsor
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TrackRandy K. Weber, Sr.
Co-Sponsor
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TrackJoe Wilson
Co-Sponsor
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TrackRudy Yakym III
Co-Sponsor
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Mar. 18, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Mar. 18, 2025 | Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. |
