Bill · H.R. 6240· House(119-HR-6240)
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 11/20/2025
- Last activity
- 11/20/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.
- Sponsored by
- Eugene Vindman
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 3
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025 aims to amend the Social Security Act regarding Medicare critical access hospital designations. It restores State authority to waive the 35-mile rule for specific hospitals that are certified as necessary providers. This applies to certain rural hospitals that have experienced consecutive years of negative operating margins. The bill includes specific limitations on the number of such designations allowed per State and nationally. Additionally, it adjusts inpatient bed requirements for facilities in specific territories. Finally, it mandates several studies by the GAO and MEDPAC to assess the impact of these changes.
Yes· 3 of 10
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+7
The bill specifically targets the preservation and expansion of healthcare services in rural communities.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+6
The bill restores State authority to waive distance requirements, helping vulnerable rural hospitals maintain and expand essential services.
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+5
The bill helps preserve healthcare access for Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Restored Hospital Access: The bill allows States to certify certain hospitals as necessary providers, which may help maintain healthcare access for residents in rural areas (Section 2(a)).
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Service Expansion: Hospitals receiving this designation must commit to maintaining a new service line or expanding capacity for high-demand services, such as obstetrics or behavioral health care (Section 2(a)(F)(v)(II)).
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Improved Requirements for Territories: For facilities in Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands, the bill allows the Secretary to determine an appropriate number of acute care inpatient beds rather than a fixed cap (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limited Designations: There is a cap on the number of these new hospital designations allowed, which is limited to a total of 120 facilities and no more than 5 per State (Section 2(a)(G)(i)).
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Expiration of Authority: The ability for a State to certify a hospital under this specific provision is subject to a sunset, expiring 9 years after the date of enactment (Section 2(a)(G)(iii)).
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Reporting Burdens: Certified hospitals are required to submit reports to the Secretary regarding their new or expanded services, and failure to do so may result in the revocation of their certification (Section 2(a)(H)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+7Good For Seniors+5Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Hispanic Americans+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+6Increases Medicare Funding+3
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2Improves Fiscal Responsibility+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+1
- 2/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/20/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Kimberlyn King-HindsRepublican · Northern Mariana Islands
Tracey MannRepublican · Kansas
James MoylanRepublican · Guam