HR 3108, the RPM Access Act, increases Medicare reimbursement for remote patient monitoring (RPM) in rural areas by setting a minimum reimbursement floor of 100% for practice expenses and malpractice costs starting in 2026. It requires that RPM services include real-time physician availability to address health issues, use data systems compatible with electronic health records, and mandates providers to report data on cost savings and adherence to medications. The bill directly affects rural Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions like heart failure and diabetes, as well as healthcare providers delivering RPM services in underserved rural communities. It also requires a 5-year report to Congress analyzing cost savings from RPM use, including reduced hospitalizations and medication adherence. The law aims to improve access to RPM in rural areas where healthcare shortages are most severe.
S 1074, the *Agricultural Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Mental Health Care Act of 2025*, mandates a study on mental health and substance use disorder care access for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. The Comptroller General will examine rural availability of specialized providers, barriers like cost or geography, and effective programs (such as telehealth or cultural training) to inform future policy. The study’s findings will be submitted to key congressional committees and federal agencies, including Agriculture and Health and Human Services, to guide potential improvements in care accessibility for agricultural communities. This procedural bill does not create new programs but focuses on gathering data to address existing gaps.
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025 This bill temporarily allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare. Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area. The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency and to committing to provide a service that is in high demand in the hospital's service area. This authority expires nine years after the bill's enactment. The Government Accountability Office must study the effects of the bill's implementation. In addition, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission must study and recommend payment systems for rural hospitals under Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must subsequently establish a mechanism and issue guidance on how newly designated CAHs may transition to different payment models under Medicare, including any new payment models recommended by the commission.
This bill prioritizes rural health workforce development by requiring federal grants for training programs to give preference to projects serving rural communities (where participants live, projects are held, or employer partners are located). It mandates that all funded projects include a transportation assistance plan, offering referrals to subsidized programs or direct payments for transit or vehicle costs when public transit isn't accessible. The bill also requires annual reports to Congress assessing how effectively these programs address rural health workforce shortages. These changes aim to improve access to health careers in underserved rural areas starting October 1, 2025.
The CATCH IT Act (HR 5858) increases federal funding for rural health facilities by raising the federal share of costs for preventative health care equipment by 25 percentage points under the Community Facilities Grant Program. It specifically covers equipment like advanced breast imaging, mobile cancer screening units, cancer screening lab tools, colorectal screening devices, CT scanners, and diagnostic ultrasound equipment. This applies to facilities developing new projects or upgrading existing ones to include these technologies, aiming to improve access to preventative care in rural areas. The policy change takes effect in the first federal fiscal year after the bill is enacted.
This bill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for rural remote patient monitoring (RPM) services by setting a minimum floor of 1.00 for practice expense and malpractice indices starting in 2026, directly benefiting rural clinics and providers in areas with health care shortages. It requires RPM providers to respond to data anomalies, share patient vitals with electronic health records, and report data to track Medicare savings. The bill mandates a two-year report analyzing cost savings from reduced hospital stays and better medication adherence among beneficiaries using RPM. These changes specifically target improving access to RPM for rural Medicare patients with chronic conditions like heart failure and diabetes.
HR 1191, the Supporting Access to Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2025, waives certain distance requirements under Medicare law for specific rural hospitals. It allows hospitals participating in a Medicare demonstration program as of the bill's enactment date to be designated as critical access hospitals during a one-year window after the law takes effect. This change directly affects rural community hospitals enrolled in the Medicare demonstration program, making it easier for them to qualify for critical access hospital status. The key mechanism adds a new pathway to designation under existing Medicare rules, specifically for hospitals already in the demonstration program.
This bill creates new funding opportunities for rural health facilities (like hospitals, clinics, and long-term care centers) in areas with populations under 50,000. It allows these facilities to use existing Rural Development Agency funds to refinance debt, update telehealth/equipment, or cover operating costs - provided the assistance preserves health access and improves the facility’s financial health. Eligibility requires the facility to be in a rural area or a persistent poverty area (defined as a 20%+ poverty rate for 30 years), and the Secretary may waive certain requirements for insolvent facilities in distressed communities. The law amends existing farm and rural development programs to directly support rural health infrastructure without creating new funding streams.
The Rural Health Sustainability Act of 2025 modifies Medicare rules to change how hospitals qualify as "rural emergency hospitals." It adds a new requirement that hospitals must first have been designated as rural by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Office of Rural Health Policy. This change affects hospitals seeking this specific Medicare designation, which is needed to receive certain reimbursement rates for rural emergency services. The bill also adjusts the effective date of existing criteria to January 1, 2014, but the key new provision focuses on the HRSA designation requirement.
HR 4272, the Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prioritize rural health care facilities (including mental health clinics) for direct loans and grants under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act from 2026 to 2031. Eligible entities can use these funds for medical supplies, expanding telehealth services, staffing (capped at 25% of funds), or renovating closed facilities. The bill also prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from making national reprioritizations within rural health funding programs during this period. It directly affects rural hospitals and clinics seeking federal support for infrastructure, technology, and services.
