119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 9163
This bill protects rural hospitals designated as critical access hospitals from losing that status due to improvements in nearby roads or transportation infrastructure. Critical access hospitals receive special Medicare funding because they are located at least 35 miles from other hospitals, but this distance requirement could be affected if new roads or highway improvements are built near them. The legislation ensures that hospitals previously designated as critical access facilities will retain their status even if subsequent road construction, widening, or bridge improvements reduce the distance to other hospitals. This protection applies to any critical access hospital designation made under state authority, regardless of when the transportation project is completed. The bill addresses a gap in current Medicare rules that could inadvertently penalize rural hospitals when their communities benefit from infrastructure improvements.