Install
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals.
- Introduced
- Committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became law
Summary
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
This bill expands flexibilities for physicians and physician-owned hospitals under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law).
The Stark law generally prohibits physicians from referring patients to receive services that are payable under Medicare or Medicaid from entities in which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship. The bill allows physicians or their immediate family members to have financial interests in rural hospitals that are located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in certain mountainous areas or areas with only secondary roads) from a hospital or critical access hospital.
The Stark law also generally prohibits physician-owned hospitals from expanding the number of operating rooms, procedure rooms, or beds beyond the number in existence as of March 23, 2010, in order to be excepted under the Stark law. The bill removes this restriction.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Actions
- Mar 18, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Mar 18, 2025 Introduced in House
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