A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Rural Surgery Sustainability Act of 2026. It changes how Medicare handles payments for certified registered nurse anesthetists. The bill increases the hospital surgical procedure limits used for these cost pass-through payments. It also exempts hospitals with active labor and delivery units from certain limits. Furthermore, the bill requires regular reviews of procedure and hour limits, and orders a report to be submitted to Congress.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The legislation specifically targets rural surgery sustainability by updating Medicare cost pass-throughs for nurse anesthetists in rural hospitals.
- Scored +6
Would women be better off under this?
The bill exempts hospitals with active labor and delivery units from certain service and procedure limits, supporting maternal care access.
- Scored +6
Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65?
The bill increases hospital surgical procedure limits for cost pass-through payments under Medicare, expanding financial support for rural surgical and delivery services.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(a)(1)(A) raises the surgical procedure limit from 500 to 1,250. This is positive because it allows more hospitals to qualify for the cost pass-through payments under Medicare.
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Section 2(a)(1)(B) and Section 2(a)(6) state that the limits do not apply to a hospital for a year if that hospital has an active labor and delivery unit, and removes the total hours of service limit for them starting in 2027. This is a positive step to ensure maternity and delivery services are supported without arbitrary restrictions.
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Section 2(a)(4) requires the Secretary to review procedure and hour limits at least once every 2 years with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and update them for general increases. This helps keep Medicare rules up to date with actual medical needs.
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Section 2(a)(5) ensures payment limits are increased by the percentage increase in the MEI compared to the previous year. This helps payments keep pace with economic changes.
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Section 2(c) requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to submit a report to Congress on including on-call nurse anesthetist services as payable services and on potential sustainable payment modifications. This holds officials accountable by requiring detailed advice on improving the system.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any explicit negative impacts or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The legislation specifically targets rural surgery sustainability by updating Medicare cost pass-throughs for nurse anesthetists in rural hospitals. Would women be better off under this? — The bill exempts hospitals with active labor and delivery units from certain service and procedure limits, supporting maternal care access. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill improves Medicare payment rules for rural hospitals, which benefits older adults relying on Medicare for healthcare services.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By raising procedure limits and exempting hospitals with active labor and delivery units from certain restrictions, the bill improves healthcare and maternity service access in rural areas. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill increases hospital surgical procedure limits for cost pass-through payments under Medicare, expanding financial support for rural surgical and delivery services.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The Rural Surgery Sustainability Act of 2026 directly supports rural community healthcare infrastructure by adjusting Medicare cost pass-through limits for nurse anesthetists.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates regular reviews of limits in consultation with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and requires a report to Congress by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
- 10/5/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Introduced in House