119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 8504

Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

The Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026 aims to support rural health centers facing financial difficulties by providing loans and loan guarantees. It defines eligible health centers as including various types of hospitals, clinics, and behavioral health centers located in rural areas or serving rural communities. The program prioritizes assistance to sole community providers, those in high-poverty areas, and hospitals offering critical emergency services, allowing funds to be used for facility upgrades, operational costs, and debt management to prevent closures or service reductions.

Key provisions

Provides loans and loan guarantees to rural health centers experiencing financial distress.
Defines eligible health centers including hospitals, clinics, and behavioral health centers.
Prioritizes assistance to sole community providers, high-poverty areas, and critical emergency hospitals.
Allows loan proceeds to be used for facility upgrades, operational costs, and debt management.
Establishes a reporting requirement for the Secretary to Congress regarding program outcomes.

Who is affected

Rural health centers
Rural communities
Healthcare providers in rural areas
Patients in rural areas

Notable changes

Expands the types of health centers eligible for assistance.
Creates a dedicated program within the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
Establishes specific criteria for prioritizing assistance to certain health centers.

Positions across the country

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Arguments opposed

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Legislative history

2026-04-27House

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

2026-04-27

Introduced in House

2026-04-27

Introduced in House

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Apr 27, 2026XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 2d Session

H. R. 8504

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To authorize affordable financing assistance for rural health centers facing financial distress, and to protect access to essential health services in rural communities.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026

2.Rural health care facility stabilization assistance program

Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981–2008w) is amended by inserting after section 374 the following:

375.Rural health care facility stabilization assistance program

(a)In generalThe Secretary shall provide loans and loan guarantees to help prevent rural health centers from closing or reducing essential services.

(b)Eligible borrowers

(1)In general

A health center shall be eligible for a loan or loan guarantee under this section if—

(A)

(i)

the health center—

(I)

is located in a rural area; or

(II)serves a rural community with a hospital at least 60 percent of the patients of which have their primary residence in a rural area; or

(ii)

at least 30 percent of the patients of the health center reside in a rural area; and

(B)

the health center demonstrates financial distress through objective indicators such as operating margin of less than 5 percent, low cash reserves, risk of service loss, or such other indicators as may be determined by the Secretary.

(2)Definitions

In this section:

(A)Health centerThe term health center means the following:

(i)

A subsection (d) hospital (as defined in paragraph (1)(B) of section 1886(d) of the Social Security Act).

(ii)A critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Security Act).

(iii)A sole community hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of the Social Security Act).

(iv)A Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(G)(iv) of the Social Security Act).

(v)A low-volume hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(12)(C) of the Social Security Act).

(vi)A rural emergency hospital (as defined in section 1861(kkk)(2) of the Social Security Act).

(vii)A rural health clinic (as defined in section 1861(aa)(2) of the Social Security Act).

(viii)A Federally qualified health center (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4)) of the Social Security Act.

(ix)A community mental health center (as defined in section 1861(ff)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act).

(x)

A health center that is receiving a grant under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act.

(xi)

An opioid treatment program (as defined in section 1861(jjj)(2) of the Social Security Act).

(xii)

A certified community behavioral health clinic (as defined in section 1905(jj)(2) of the Social Security Act).

(B)Rural area

The term rural area has the meaning given the term in subparagraph (A) of section 343(a)(13), including an area described in clause (ii) of such subparagraph that the Secretary determines under subparagraph (D) of such section is a rural area.

(3)Priority

(A)In generalIn carrying out this section, the Secretary may prioritize the provision of assistance to health centers that are—

(i)

sole community providers, as determined by the Secretary;

(ii)

providers in a high poverty area or an area designated by the Secretary as having a shortage of personal health services; and

(iii)

hospitals delivering critical emergency and safety-net services, as determined by the Secretary.

(B)High poverty area definedIn subparagraph (A), the term high poverty area means an area with an areawide poverty rate of 20 percent or more, based on the Official Poverty Measure of the Bureau of the Census.

(c)Use of fundsNotwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, a health center to which a loan or loan guarantee is provided under this section may use the loan or loan guarantee to prevent the closure of, or the reduction of the provision of essential services by the health center, and to restore the provision of essential services by the health center, by using the loan proceeds in ways such as—

(1)

for projects to acquire, repair, or upgrade the systems, facilities, and equipment of the health center;

(2)

to cover the operational costs of the health center, including supplies and payroll expenses (except bonuses);

(3)

for debt payments, working capital, maintaining essential service lines, bridging reimbursement timing gaps, or refinancing high-interest debt incurred for patient care operations; or

(4)

any other activity as the Secretary may allow.

(d)Report to CongressWithin 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the activities and outcomes of the program carried out under this section, including the effect of the program on stabilizing the finances of the rural health care facilities assisted by the program, and shall make available to the public a summary of the report which does not include any personal information or any financial information about a health center.

HR 8504

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Notable changes

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the country

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Bill text

Positions across the country