HR 7920
Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026
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Bill overview
This bill, the Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026, aims to prevent private equity funds, corporations owned by such funds, and real estate investment trusts from receiving Medicare payments. It does this by amending the Social Security Act to prohibit payments to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities owned or controlled by these ‘covered firms.’ A three-year transition period is included for facilities already under such ownership, and the firm itself would be held liable for any resulting penalties.
Key provisions
- Prohibits Medicare payments to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities owned by private equity funds.
- Defines ‘covered firm’ as including private equity funds, corporations owned by them, and real estate investment trusts.
- Establishes a three-year transition period for facilities already owned by covered firms.
- Requires covered firms to be jointly and severally liable for Medicare penalties.
- Provides for notice and a hearing process for facilities found in violation.
- Defines ‘control’ as possessing the power to direct an entity’s management or policies.
- Includes definitions for ‘affiliate,’ ‘corporation,’ and ‘private equity fund.’
- References the Internal Revenue Code for the definition of ‘real estate investment trust.’
Who is affected
- Hospitals
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Private Equity Funds
- Corporations owned by Private Equity Funds
- Real Estate Investment Trusts
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] Norton
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 7920
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent hospitals or skilled nursing facilities that are owned by certain firms from participating in the Medicare program.
This Act may be cited as the Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026
.
Section 1862 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
No payment may be made under this title to a hospital or skilled nursing facility that is owned or controlled by a covered firm or an affiliate of a covered firm.
If, on the date of enactment of this subsection, a hospital or skilled nursing facility is owned or controlled by a covered firm or an affiliate of such a firm, such hospital or skilled nursing facility shall not be considered in violation of subparagraph (A) until the date that is 3 years after such date of enactment.
Any hospital or skilled nursing facility found to be in violation of paragraph (1) shall be entitled to reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing as described in section 1128(f).
A covered firm or an affiliate of such a firm that owns or is an affiliate of a hospital or skilled nursing facility that is in violation of paragraph (1) shall be jointly and severally liable for any penalty or obligation such hospital or skilled nursing facility receives for such violation.
A person shall be considered to control an entity if such person directly or indirectly owns, has rights over, or holds with the power to vote, 10 percent or more of the voting securities of such entity.