The bill would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to qualifying rural hospitals. Grants could pay for acquiring, repairing, or upgrading hospital systems, facilities, and equipment, as well as certain operating costs, including payroll other than payroll for hospital leadership and debt payments. A qualifying hospital must be at least 15 miles from the nearest hospital and at least 20 miles from the nearest urbanized area. Each hospital could receive no more than $5 million over any five-year period. Hospitals would need to apply and explain how the funding would address financial needs, support access to hospital services, and be sustained after federal support ends. The Secretary would report on the program to Congress.
If you live in a rural area, a nearby qualifying hospital could apply for funding to support its facilities, equipment, or certain operating costs. The bill does not guarantee that any hospital will receive a grant.
The bill authorizes $500 million in total appropriations for the program for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2025. It limits each hospital to $5 million in grants over any five-year period. The text does not state how much funding would ultimately be appropriated or awarded.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.