Bill · H.R. 10134· House(119-HR-10134)
Local Health Care Protection Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 8/20/2026
- Last activity
- 8/20/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Sponsored by
- Hillary Scholten
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Local Health Care Protection Act of 2026 seeks to create an eligibility exception for the drug discount program. This applies to certain hospitals that fail to meet specific requirements for disproportionate share adjustment percentages due to Medicaid cuts. The exception covers cost reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2026 and ending no later than September 30, 2030. Additionally, the bill mandates a study by the Comptroller General. This study will look into the criteria for covered entities and the impact of declining payments in rural areas.
Yes· 3 of 10
Does this lower the price of prescription medicines?+3
By maintaining drug discount eligibility for certain hospitals, it helps stabilize costs for healthcare providers.
Does this lower what a hospital stay costs?+3
The exception helps hospitals maintain access to the drug discount program despite Medicaid-related payment shifts.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+3
Ensuring hospital financial stability via drug discounts can help maintain essential services like obstetrics and oncology.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Drug Discount Access for Hospitals: Hospitals that were covered entities on July 3, 2025, may still be deemed "covered entities" for the drug discount program even if they do not meet the disproportionate share adjustment percentage requirement (Section 2(a) and 2(b)).
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Information on Essential Services: The Comptroller General will evaluate if declining payments correlate with the loss of critical services like obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, or other essential specialties (Section 2(d)(1)).
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Assessment of Payment Issues: The report will identify underlying causes for declining payment adjustments, such as disability determination accuracy and limited post-acute care capacity in rural or underserved areas (Section 2(d)(5)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Limited Duration of Relief: The eligibility exception for the drug discount program is not permanent, as it is set to end with cost reporting periods ending no later than September 30, 2030 (Section 2(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3Reduces Hospital Costs+3Reduces Prescription Drug Costs+3Increases Medicaid Funding+2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Women+2Good For Low Income Households+1Good For People With Disabilities+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+1
- 8/20/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced in House