I 
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) intro-
duced 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 pay-
ments to eligible health care providers is reserved for 
such providers located in rural areas, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:03 Jun 17, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7004.IH
H7004
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. RESERVATION OF FUNDING FOR RURAL HEALTH 
CARE PROVIDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall re-
serve 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 sub-
section are each of the following: 
(1) The unobligated balance of the appropria-
tion 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 di-
vision B of the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136). 
(2) The unobligated balance of the appropria-
tion under the heading ‘‘Department of Health and 
Human Services—Office of the Secretary—Public 
Health and Social Services Emergency Fund’’ in di-
vision B of the Paycheck Protection Program and 
Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law 116– 
139). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:03 Jun 17, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7004.IH
H7004
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(3) Any unobligated balance of an appropria-
tion 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 provi-
sion of law enacted subsequent to the date of enact-
ment 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 dis-
proportionately high percentage of— 
(A) individuals age 60 or older; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:03 Jun 17, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7004.IH
H7004
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(B) individuals who have co-morbidities 
that make them particularly vulnerable to com-
plications 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 oth-
erwise 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 re-
lated to preventing, preparing for, or responding to 
coronavirus, including purchasing equipment nec-
essary 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— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:03 Jun 17, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7004.IH
H7004
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS