Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act”.
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals.
Sec. 2 Revising certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals
in subsection (d)—
in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting “(other than a covered rural hospital (as defined in subsection (h)))” after “a hospital”; and
in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting “in the case of a hospital other than a covered rural hospital (as defined in subsection (h)),” before “the hospital”; and
in subsection (h), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(8) Covered rural hospital
“(A) In general—The term “covered rural hospital” means a hospital that—
“(i) is located in a rural area (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D)); and
“(ii) as of the date that such hospital enrolls under this title, meets the criteria described in clause (i)(I) of section 1820(c)(2)(B).
“(B) Clarification—Nothing in this paragraph shall be interpreted as requiring a covered rural hospital to meet any other criteria under section 1820(c)(2)(B).”
Allowing for expansion of existing physician-Owned hospitals— Section 1877(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395nn(i)) is amended—
in paragraph (1)(B), by striking “in paragraph (3)” and inserting “in paragraph (3) or (7)”; and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(7) Sunset of expansion prohibition—The requirement described in paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply beginning on the date of the enactment of this paragraph.”