A Republican bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 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
The Catastrophic Specialty Hospital Act of 2025 aims to change how Medicare pays certain long-term care hospitals. It establishes a new "catastrophic specialty hospital" designation for hospitals that meet specific criteria. These hospitals would be paid differently, bypassing certain existing payment systems. To qualify, a hospital must focus on spinal cord injuries or acquired brain injuries and meet specific discharge and patient volume requirements. The designation lasts for three years and can be renewed if the hospital continues to meet the established standards.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +6
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill facilitates specialized care and research for people suffering from spinal cord injuries and acquired brain injuries.
- Scored +5
Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65?
The bill establishes new, alternative payment rules for designated catastrophic specialty hospitals under Medicare.
- Scored +4
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill supports a continuum of care for individuals with spinal cord injuries or acquired brain injuries through specialized hospital designations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
New Payment Rules for Specialized Care: The bill establishes that a designated catastrophic specialty hospital will be paid without regard to certain existing payment systems, which may provide different financial structures for long-term care hospitals. (Section 2, subparagraph (8)(A))
-
Support for Specialized Medical Care: By designating hospitals that meet specific criteria, the bill focuses on institutions that offer a continuum of care including inpatient and outpatient services for spinal cord injuries or acquired brain injuries. (Section 2, subparagraph (B)(ii))
-
Encouragement of Medical Research and Training: The criteria for designation reward hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to neurorehabilitation research through personnel, publications, or clinical training programs such as fellowships and residencies. (Section 2, subparagraph (B)(v))
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Strict Requirements for Hospital Designation: Hospitals must meet very specific and rigorous criteria to receive this designation, including maintaining specific discharge numbers for both spinal cord injuries and acquired brain injuries every year for a three-year period. (Section 2, subparagraph (B)(i) and (B)(iii))
-
Burden of Proof for Continued Status: If a hospital's designation is about to expire, the Secretary must determine if the hospital still meets the criteria, and the hospital may be required to submit additional information within 60 days to prove compliance to avoid losing the designation. (Section 2, subparagraph (C)(ii))
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.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill establishes new, alternative payment rules for designated catastrophic specialty hospitals under Medicare. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill supports a continuum of care for individuals with spinal cord injuries or acquired brain injuries through specialized hospital designations. Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill incentivizes neurorehabilitation research by making it a criterion for specialized hospital designation.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill facilitates specialized care and research for people suffering from spinal cord injuries and acquired brain injuries.
- 3/19/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/10/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/30/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Earl CarterRepublican · Georgia
Jason CrowDemocrat · Colorado
Mike CareyRepublican · Ohio
Diana DeGetteDemocrat · Colorado
Austin ScottRepublican · Georgia
Nikema WilliamsDemocrat · Georgia