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HR 1639 117th Congress House

Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to restore State authority to waive for certain facilities the 35-mile rule for designating critical access hos… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to restore State authority to waive for certain facilities the 35-mile rule for designating critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 8, 2021 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesDepartment of Health and Human ServicesEmergency medical services and trauma care
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Health care coverage and accessHealth facilities and institutionsHome and outpatient careHospital careMedicareRural conditions and developmentState and local government operations
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 9, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 8, 2021
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.
Mar 8, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 8, 2021
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 9, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021

This bill allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare.

Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area.

The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency.

In addition, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation must test a new delivery and payment model for rural hospitals that promotes financially sustainable access to care and must establish a corresponding transition process for CAHs.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 644 Identical bill Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 5
All 5 Democratic 1 Republican 2
McKinley, David
· Jun 9, 2022
 R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · Feb 9, 2022
Davis, Rodney
· Mar 23, 2021
 R
Lucas, Frank D.
Oklahoma · Mar 23, 2021
 D
Panetta, Jimmy
California · Mar 8, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1639: Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1639/
MLA
"H.R. 1639: Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1639/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1639, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1639/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1639: Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1639/)
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