Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act

[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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