The Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026 creates a new federal loan and loan guarantee program to help rural health centers avoid closing or cutting services due to financial hardship. The program, administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, will be available to a broad range of rural health facilities including hospitals, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, and opioid treatment programs that demonstrate financial distress such as low operating margins or depleted cash reserves. Eligible facilities can use the financing to cover operational costs like payroll and supplies, upgrade facilities and equipment, refinance debt, or restore essential services that may have been reduced. The bill prioritizes assistance to sole community providers, facilities in high-poverty areas, and hospitals providing critical emergency services. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress within 18 months describing the program's outcomes and its effectiveness in stabilizing rural health care finances.
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