Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7727 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7727 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the continued designation of certain critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 26, 2026 Mr. Alford (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Ms. Tokuda, and Mr. Cuellar) 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 ensure the continued designation of certain critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. 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 ``Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act''. SEC. 2. ENSURING THE CONTINUED DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. Section 1820(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i- 4(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(F) Ensuring continued designation of certain critical access hospitals.--A facility that is designated as a critical access hospital by a State under subparagraph (B) that meets the criterion specified in clause (i)(I) as of the date of such designation and that would continue to be eligible for such designation but for application of such criterion shall be deemed to meet such criterion for a period specified by the Secretary (not to exceed 3 years) if the Secretary determines that loss of such designation would reduce access to necessary health care items and services for individuals residing in the service area of such facility.''. SEC. 3. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORI