HR 4272
Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act
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Bill overview
This bill aims to improve healthcare access in rural communities by prioritizing health care and mental/behavioral health facilities when the USDA distributes funds through the Community Facilities program. Specifically, it directs the Secretary of Agriculture to give preference to these types of facilities when selecting recipients for loans and grants. The funds can be used for essential supplies, expanding telehealth services, addressing staffing shortages, and renovating existing facilities.
Key provisions
- Prioritizes health care and mental/behavioral health facilities for USDA Community Facilities program funding.
- Sets funding priorities for fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
- Allows loan and grant funds to be used for medical supplies.
- Permits investment in expanding telehealth capabilities.
- Allows funds to support staffing needs, with a limit on the percentage allocated.
- Authorizes the use of funds for renovating and remodeling closed health care facilities.
Who is affected
- Rural hospitals
- Mental and behavioral health facilities
- Healthcare providers in rural areas
- USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)
- Residents of rural communities
Notable changes
- Restricts national reprioritizations within the Community Facilities program for the specified years.
- Explicitly includes certified community behavioral health clinics in the definition of eligible facilities.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Sanford D. Bishop
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4272
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To prioritize health care facilities and mental or behavioral health facilities in the Community Facilities program for fiscal years 2026 through 2031, and allow loans and grants under the program to be used for medical supplies, increasing telehealth capabilities, supporting staffing needs, or renovating and remodeling closed facilities.
This Act may be cited as the Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act
.
health care facilities; or
mental or behavioral health facilities, including certified community behavioral health clinics described in section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note; Public Law 113–93).
provide medical supplies;
increase telehealth capabilities, including underlying health care information systems;
support staffing needs, subject to the condition that the eligible entity shall not use more than 25 percent of the direct loan or grant funds for this purpose; or
renovate or remodel closed health care facilities.