Title: To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program under which loans shall be made to certain health care organizations to assist such organizations with anticipated revenue loss or higher operating costs as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide low-interest loans to eligible health care organizations that anticipate revenue losses or higher operating costs due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency. The bill provides appropriations for this purpose. Eligible organizations include but are not limited to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and physician practices that participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6426 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6426

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
    program under which loans shall be made to certain health care 
  organizations to assist such organizations with anticipated revenue 
 loss or higher operating costs as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2020

Mr. Rose of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
    program under which loans shall be made to certain health care 
  organizations to assist such organizations with anticipated revenue 
 loss or higher operating costs as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. HEALTH PROVIDER LOAN PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this title, the Secretary shall establish a program under which 
loans shall be made to eligible health care organizations to assist 
such organizations with anticipated revenue loss or higher operating 
costs as a result of the COVID-19 emergency.
    (b) Program Requirements.--The Secretary shall establish standards 
and guidelines for application, loan amount, repayment, and extension, 
and shall consider the eligible health care organization's financial 
condition, service in an area heavily impacted by the COVID-19 
emergency, or other factors deemed appropriate.
    (c) Eligible Health Care Organizations.--To be eligible for a loan 
under subsection (a), an entity shall--
            (1) be a health care provider or supplier that receives 
        assistance or otherwise participates in the Medicare or 
        Medicaid program under title XVIII or XIX of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 and 1396 et seq.), including a 
        hospital, critical access hospital, skilled nursing facility, 
        physician practice, home health provider, community health 
        center, ambulatory surgical care center, or hospice; and
            (2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
    (d) Terms and Conditions.--
            (1) Interest.--A loan under this section shall have a rate 
        of interest of not to exceed 2 percent. Interest shall begin to 
        accrue on the date that is 60 days after the date of 
        origination.
            (2) Term.--The term of a loan under this section shall be 1 
        year minus one day. A borrower shall have the option to extend 
        such term for a total of not to exceed 19 years. Further 
        extensions may be granted if approval by the Secretary.
            (3) Security.--An eligible health care organization shall 
        not be required to provide security for a loan under this 
        section.
            (4) Payments.--Loan payments shall be made on a biannual 
        basis.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) COVID-19 emergency.--The term ``COVID-19 emergency'' 
        means the national emergency declared by the President under 
        the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with 
        respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
    (f) Use of Certain Funds.--Loan recipients may use funds such 
recipients were awarded under the Public Health and Social Services 
Emergency Fund or the Health Provider Assistance Fund established under 
section 562 to repay loans awarded under this section, provided the 
funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund or the 
Health Provider Assistance Fund were awarded based on foregone revenue.
    (g) Clarification.--No individual, employer, or other entity may be 
restricted from participating in or benefitting from any exemption or 
benefit under this section, based on any factor that is unrelated to 
its qualifications to perform the required services.
    (h) Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated, and 
there is appropriated, to carry out this section, $80,000,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2020, to remain available until expended.
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