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HR 3896 111th Congress House

Rural Health Clinic Patient Access and Improvement Act of 2009

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to health care for individuals residing in underserved rural areas, and for other purposes.

Introduced: October 21, 2009 See on congress.gov
Health Congressional oversightDigestive and metabolic diseasesHealth care coverage and accessHealth care quality
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Health facilities and institutionsHealth personnelHealth programs administration and fundingMedicaidMedicareNutrition and dietRural conditions and development
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 22, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Oct 21, 2009
Referred to House Ways and Means
Oct 21, 2009
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.
Oct 21, 2009
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
Oct 21, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 22, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Rural Health Clinic Patient Access and Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to rural health clinic reimbursement.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make incentive payments to rural health clinic employees or contractors for satisfactory reporting of data on clinic quality measures.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow a community health center to contract with a federally certified rural health clinic for the delivery of primary health care services to individuals who would otherwise be eligible for free or reduced cost care if they were able to obtain it at the community health center.

Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy counseling services provided by federally qualified health clinics.

Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project of grants to states to examine whether health care professionals can be recruited or retained to work in underserved rural areas by providing them with medical malpractice subsidies.

States that a rural health clinic qualified under Medicare or Medicaid may be defined and certified by the Secretary as rural even if it fails to satisfy the requirement that it not be located in an urbanized area.

Amends SSA title XVIII to establish the minimum Medicare Advantage plan payment rate for services furnished by a rural health clinic.

Expresses the sense of the Senate concerning the adequacy of network-based health plans.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3896: Rural Health Clinic Patient Access and Improvement Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-3896/
MLA
"H.R. 3896: Rural Health Clinic Patient Access and Improvement Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-3896/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3896, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-3896/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3896: Rural Health Clinic Patient Access and Improvement Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-3896/)
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