Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Create an account to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, changes rules about how doctors can refer patients and how physician-owned hospitals can grow. It loosens restrictions under the Stark Law, which generally prevents doctors from referring patients to facilities where they have a financial stake. Specifically, it allows doctors or their families to own shares in rural hospitals located far from other hospitals, and it removes a limit on the number of operating rooms and beds that physician-owned hospitals can add.
Key provisions
- Allows physicians and their families to own shares in rural hospitals located more than 35 miles from other hospitals (or 15 miles in certain areas).
- Revises the definition of a ‘covered rural hospital’ to include hospitals meeting specific location criteria.
- Removes the restriction on physician-owned hospitals expanding the number of operating rooms and beds.
- Updates the Stark Law to accommodate these changes regarding rural hospital ownership.
Who is affected
- Physicians
- Physician-owned hospitals
- Rural hospital administrators
- Patients in rural areas
- Healthcare providers
Notable changes
- Loosens the Stark Law restrictions on physician referrals to rural hospitals.
- Eliminates the limit on the expansion of physician-owned hospital capacity.
Bill text
Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
Text extraction is in progress. View the official source.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
34 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Arguments
Reasons offered for and against this legislation.
Arguments in favor
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yours