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.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8986 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 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 1