Defend Rural Health Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7409 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7409 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the geographic reclassification of certain hospitals under the Medicare program. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 5, 2026 Mr. Taylor (for himself and Mrs. Miller of West Virginia) 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 limit the geographic reclassification of certain 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 ``Defend Rural Health Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. LIMITING GEOGRAPHIC RECLASSIFICATION OF HOSPITALS UNDER MEDICARE. (a) In General.--Section 1886(d)(8)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(8)(E)) is amended-- (1) in clause (i), by striking ``described in clause (ii)'' and inserting ``that is located in an urban area (as defined in paragraph (2)(D)) and meets any of the criteria described in subclause (I), (II), or (IV) of clause (ii) (or, with respect to a hospital submitting such an application before October 1, 2026, meets any of the criteria described in such clause)''; (2) in clause (ii)-- (A) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking ``a subsection (d) hospital'' and all that follows through ``criteria:'' and inserting ``the criteria described in this clause are the following:''; and (B) in subclause (II)-- (i) by inserting ``that is'' before ``designated by any law''; and (ii) by inserting ``, and that was so designated as of January 1, 2026'' before the period at the end; and (3) by adding at the end the following