Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act

Bill: 116-hr-7759
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Smith, Jason [R-MO-8]
Introduced: 2020-07-23
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Bankruptcy

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Hospital care

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Interest, dividends, interest rates

Medicare

Unemployment
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act</b></p> <p>This bill modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions.</p> <p>The bill allows the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services to forgive repayment, extend the recoupment timeline, and lower applicable interest rates for hospitals experiencing significant financial hardship (e.g., impending bankruptcy). </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7759 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 23, 2020 Mr. Smith of Missouri (for himself, Mr. McKinley , Mrs. Miller , Mr. Long , Mr. Armstrong , Mr. Westerman , Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee , and Mr. Fortenberry ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to forgive the repayment, extend the timeline of repayment, and lower the interest rate of Medicare hospital accelerated payments made during the COVID–19 public health emergency, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act . 2. Authorizing the forgiveness of repayment, extension of repayment, and lowering of interest rate of Medicare hospital accelerated payments made during the COVID–19 public health emergency Section 1815 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395g ) is amended— (1) in subsection (d), by inserting subject to subsection (f)(5), after determination, ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)— (A) in subparagraph (C), by inserting subject to paragraph (5), before the Secretary ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) (A) Upon the request of a hospital, the Secretary may forgive the repayment, extend the timeline of repayment described in subparagraph (C)(i), and lower the interest rate of any accelerated payment within 30 days of receiving such request if such a hospital experiences significant financial hardship. (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), significant financial hardship means, with respect to a hospital, the existence of a serious chance of closure, impending bankruptcy, large-scale layoffs, or any other situation the Secretary determines appropriate. .