CRITICAL Act

Bill: 119-s-552
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
Introduced: 2025-02-12
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alaska

Hawaii

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Home and outpatient care

Hospital care

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-12
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Comprehensive Reimbursement Initiative Targeting Investment and Care in rural Locations or the CRITICAL Act</strong></p><p>This bill increases the Medicare payment rate by 4% for services provided by critical access hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 552 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 12, 2025 Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Schatz ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of critical access hospital services furnished by a critical access hospital located in a noncontiguous State.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Comprehensive Reimbursement Initiative Targeting Investment and Care in rural Locations or the CRITICAL Act . 2. Treatment of critical access hospitals located in a noncontiguous State (a) Inpatient critical access hospital services Section 1814(l)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395f(l)(1) ) is amended by inserting (or, in the case of inpatient critical access hospital services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, by a critical access hospital that is located in a noncontiguous State, 105 percent) after 101 percent . (b) Outpatient critical access hospital services Section 1834(g)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(g)(1) ) is amended by inserting (or, in the case of outpatient critical access hospital services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, by a critical access hospital that is located in a noncontiguous State, 105 percent) after 101 percent . (c) Ambulance services Section 1834(l)(8) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)(8) ) is amended by inserting (or, in the case of ambulance services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, by a critical access hospital that is located in a noncontiguous State or by an entity that is owned and operated by a critical access hospital that is located in a noncontiguous State, 105 percent) after 101 percent . (d) Skilled nursing facility services Section 1883(a)(3) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395tt(a)(3) ) is amended by inserting (or, in the case of covered skilled nursing facility services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, under an agreement under this section by a critical access hospital that is located in a noncontiguous State, 105 percent) after 101 percent .