Save Our Rural Health Providers Act
This bill requires a specific portion of the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to be allocated to rural health care providers responding to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires that at least 20% of future appropriations and the unobligated balance of prior appropriations to the fund relating to COVID-19 provider assistance be reserved for rural health care providers, with priority given to providers serving a high number of Medicare or Medicaid enrollees, elderly or other high-risk individuals, uninsured individuals, or areas with limited health infrastructure.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7004 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7004
To ensure that a portion of funds appropriated to the Public Health and
Social Services Emergency Fund for payments to eligible health care
providers is reserved for such providers located in rural areas, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2020
Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico (for herself and Mr. Hagedorn)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that a portion of funds appropriated to the Public Health and
Social Services Emergency Fund for payments to eligible health care
providers is reserved for such providers located in rural areas, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Save Our Rural Health Providers
Act''.
SEC. 2. RESERVATION OF FUNDING FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as
the ``Secretary'') shall reserve not less than 20 percent of all
amounts described in subsection (b) for reimbursing, through grants or
other mechanisms, eligible rural health care providers for health care
related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus.
(b) Amounts.--The amounts described in this subsection are each of
the following:
(1) The unobligated balance of the appropriation of
$100,000,000,000 in the third paragraph under the heading
``Department of Health and Human Services--Office of the
Secretary--Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund''
in division B of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136).
(2) The unobligated balance of the appropriation under the
heading ``Department of Health and Human Services--Office of
the Secretary--Public Health and Social Services Emergency
Fund'' in division B of the Paycheck Protection Program and
Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law 116-139).
(3) Any unobligated balance of an appropriation under any
other provision of law enacted prior to the date of enactment
of this section that is made available to the Public Health and
Social Services Emergency Fund for the purpose of reimbursing,
through grants or other mechanisms, health care providers for
health care related expenses or lost revenues attributable to
coronavirus.
(4) Any appropriation under any other provision of law
enacted subsequent to the date of enactment of this section
that is made available to the Public Health and Social Services
Emergency Fund for the purpose described in paragraph (3).
(c) Priority.--In reimbursing eligible rural health care providers
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to such providers
that--
(1) provide care for a disproportionately high percentage
of individuals enrolled in the Medicare program under title
XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) or
under a State Medicaid plan under title XIX of such Act (42
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or under a waiver of such plan;
(2) provide care for populations with a disproportionately
high percentage of--
(A) individuals age 60 or older; or
(B) individuals who have co-morbidities that make
them particularly vulnerable to complications from
coronavirus; or
(3) provide care for populations--
(A) in areas with limited access to health
infrastructure; or
(B) with a high population of uninsured
individuals.
(d) Requirements for Reimbursement.--
(1) In general.--Reimbursements to eligible rural health
care providers under this section shall, subject to subsection
(c) and paragraph (2), be otherwise provided in accordance with
the applicable provisions of law described in subsection (b).
(2) Use of funds.--Any reimbursements under this section
may be used for any purposes related to preventing, preparing
for, or responding to coronavirus, including purchasing
equipment necessary for such purposes or upgrading facilities
for such purposes.
(e) Definition of Eligible Rural Health Care Provider.--In this
section, the term ``eligible rural health care provider'' means--
(1) any health care provider that--
(A) is eligible to receive payments under any of
the provisions of law described in subsection (b); and
(B) is located in a rural area, as defined by the
Secretary; or
(2) any health care provider that is--
(A) a critical access hospital (as defined in
section 1861(mm) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395x(mm)));
(B) a rural health clinic (as defined in section
1861(aa)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(2)));
(C) a hospital that--
(i) is classified as a rural referral
center under section 1886(d)(5)(C)(i) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(C)(i)); and
(ii) is a sole community hospital (as
defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(D)(iii))); or
(D) any other health care service provider located
in a rural area, as defined by the Secretary.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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