Healthcare (Telehealth · Rural Communities)

in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 8967: Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization

This bill extends the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program by an additional five years, allowing rural hospitals to continue receiving Medicare payment adjustments designed to help them compete with larger health systems. The legislation amends existing federal laws to change the program's timeline from a 15-year extension to a 20-year extension, ensuring these financial incentives remain in place for a longer period. It also includes specific rules for hospitals that joined the program later, ensuring they receive the same extended benefits during the final years of the new timeframe. The primary effect is to maintain current funding mechanisms for participating rural hospitals without altering the core rules of the demonstration.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill extends funding and financial incentives for rural hospitals, improving access and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Mar 27, 2026

HR 8145: Expanding Access to Distance Learning and Telemedicine Act

This bill expands the scope of federal programs supporting rural areas to include cybersecurity support, digital literacy, workforce development, and job training alongside existing telemedicine and distance learning services. It amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to update the section heading and modify multiple subsections to explicitly incorporate these new categories of assistance. The changes apply to programs that provide technical support and educational resources to rural communities, with an effective date set for six months after the bill is enacted.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands federal programs to include digital literacy and distance learning support for rural areas, enhancing educational access and infrastructure.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands telemedicine access and digital literacy in rural areas, improving healthcare service delivery and patient access to medical professionals.75% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands workforce development and job training programs, directly supporting labor and employment by enhancing worker skills and employment opportunities.75% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly expands federal programs to include cybersecurity support, digital literacy, and workforce development, directly advancing technology access and digital equity in rural areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Workforce Development Broadband Access Cybersecurity Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Feb 9, 2026

HR 7444: Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act

This bill expands Medicare telehealth access for rural and underserved communities by removing geographic restrictions on where telehealth services can originate and allowing more services to be provided from patients' homes. It enables critical access hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and rural health clinics to receive full reimbursement for telehealth services and permits audio-only technology for certain appointments starting in 2027. The legislation also establishes permanent payment rates for telehealth services provided by these facilities and requires a review of audio-only technology use within five years to assess its impact on access and clinical appropriateness.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicare telehealth access, removes geographic restrictions, increases reimbursement for rural facilities, and improves patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill expands telehealth access and removes geographic restrictions, promoting digital equity and technology adoption in healthcare.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 4204: Rural Health Innovation Act of 2026

This bill creates two new grant programs to support health services in rural areas. The first program provides funding to rural health centers and clinics to establish or maintain facilities that offer urgent care, triage services, and emergency transport coordination, with grants ranging from $500,000 to $750,000 over five years. The second program offers annual grants of up to $500,000 to local rural health departments to enhance their ability to provide emergency services, primary care, and other medical support at existing facilities. Both programs require entities to submit detailed applications and prioritize existing health centers, while authorizing $25 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for these initiatives.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates new grant programs to fund rural health centers and emergency services, directly increasing healthcare funding and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Primary Care Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Apr 3, 2026

HR 8149: Agricultural Access to Addiction and Mental Health Care Act

This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study examining how accessible addiction and mental health care providers and services are for farmers and ranchers facing challenges like drought, extreme weather, market instability, and consumer misinformation. The study will investigate rural availability of trained providers, barriers such as financial and geographic obstacles, and successful state and local programs that could be expanded federally. It also explores options like funding for therapy sessions through existing networks and enhancing telehealth services in rural areas. The results will be reported to Congress within 180 days, with up to $1 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to support the study.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates study to improve mental health and addiction care access for farmers, addressing barriers and exploring expansion of services.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse Telehealth Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Mar 17, 2026

HR 7956: State Offices of Rural Health Program Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill reauthorizes funding for the State Offices of Rural Health Program, which supports state-level efforts to improve healthcare access in rural areas. It authorizes $12.5 million annually for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 and increases funding to $13.5 million per year for fiscal years 2028 through 2032. The money will be distributed through grants to states that operate offices focused on rural health initiatives. This legislation directly affects state health departments and organizations working to address healthcare disparities in rural communities. The bill makes no changes to eligibility requirements or program goals, only extending and adjusting the funding levels.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly authorizes and increases federal funding for rural health programs, directly advancing budget allocation for public health services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill reauthorizes and increases funding for rural health programs, directly improving healthcare access in underserved areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Feb 14, 2025

HR 290: Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act of 2025

Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program through FY2030. This Department of Agriculture program provides grants to help rural communities gain the technology and training necessary to engage in telemedicine and distance learning.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill reauthorizes grants for rural distance learning technology/training, directly expanding educational access for underserved communities through funding and infrastructure support.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReauthorizes USDA grants for rural telemedicine infrastructure, directly improving healthcare access in underserved communities through technology and training.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyReauthorizes grants for rural tech infrastructure/training to expand telemedicine/education access, directly advancing digital equity and internet access in underserved areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Mar 3, 2025

HR 1775: Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act

This bill expands Medicare's definition of "rural emergency hospital" to allow certain closed rural hospitals to rejoin the program. Specifically, it creates a new eligibility category for facilities that were critical access hospitals or rural hospitals (under Section 1886(d)) in rural counties, ceased operations between January 2014 and December 2020, and submit an application to become rural emergency hospitals. The bill modifies Medicare payment rules to provide specific adjustments for these reactivated facilities, including distance requirements (e.g., hospitals within 35 miles of another hospital won't receive immediate payment increases). The changes take effect January 1, 2027, directly affecting rural hospitals that closed during the specified period and wish to rejoin Medicare.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare access for rural hospitals, improving patient care in underserved areas by enabling closed facilities to rejoin program and receive adjusted payments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Mar 28, 2025

HR 1906: Rural Wellness Act

HR 1906, the Rural Wellness Act, extends a deadline for rural development funding to 2029 and requires that 17% of funds prioritize projects offering behavioral and mental health services like prevention, treatment, and recovery. It directs grant administrators to give preference to rural community facilities providing these services and employing staff trained in mental health care. The law applies to programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and the Rural Development Act of 1972. This affects rural communities seeking health facility grants and changes how funding is allocated to address mental health needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires 17% of rural development funds to prioritize behavioral/mental health services (prevention, treatment, recovery) and directs preference to facilities offering these services, directly expanding access to mental healthcare in rural areas.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Dec 17, 2025

HR 6817: Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2025

This bill creates a federal grant program to expand mental health and substance use care for rural underserved populations, specifically targeting health professional shortage areas and individuals working in farming, fishing, or forestry. It authorizes $10 million annually (2025-2029) for eligible providers to deliver home-based telemental health services - using video or phone - directly to patients' homes or comfortable settings. Grantees must develop quality metrics comparing remote care to in-person services, expand broadband access, provide patient devices, and cover provider technology costs. The program requires annual reports to Congress on service impact and quality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill authorizes $10M annually for federal grants to expand mental health care access via telemental services in underserved rural areas, directly advancing patient access and funding for mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Mental Health Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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