Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization
A Republican bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 16 cosponsors
Last activity — Held at the desk.
Passed one chamber, waiting for the other to take it up
Passed one chamber, and the other has not yet sent it to a committee or put it on its calendar.
The other chamber will hand it to a committee, place it on its calendar, or leave it where it is. Nothing has been decided, and a bill can sit here indefinitely.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed Senate unanimous consent
- Awaiting House
The Senate by unanimous consent (no one objected, so there was no vote): no senator's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This Act, titled the "Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization," seeks to extend the existing rural community hospital demonstration program. It specifically modifies the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. The legislation changes the previous 15-year extension period to a 20-year extension period. It also includes conforming amendments to update various subsections of the law. Additionally, it creates a rule for hospitals that were not original participants in the demonstration.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill specifically extends and expands a program designed to support rural community hospitals.
- Scored +4
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
By extending the demonstration program and allowing new hospitals to participate, the bill helps sustain healthcare access in rural communities.
- Scored +3
Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65?
The bill extends the duration of a Medicare-related hospital demonstration program.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Extended Program Duration: By changing the extension period from 15 years to s 20 years (Section 2(a)), the bill provides a longer timeframe for the demonstration program.
-
Support for New Participants: The bill allows the Secretary to apply specific provisions to rural community hospitals that were not original participants, provided they join the program between December 30, 2024, and January 1, 2027 (Section 2(b)(1)(2)(A)-(B)). This provides a mechanism for additional hospitals to participate in the demonstration during the fourth 5-year period of the extension.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated within the provided text.
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 bill specifically extends and expands a program designed to support rural community hospitals. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Extended hospital programs help maintain essential services for low-income residents in rural areas.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By extending the demonstration program and allowing new hospitals to participate, the bill helps sustain healthcare access in rural communities. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill extends the duration of a Medicare-related hospital demonstration program.
- 5/21/2026
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 5/20/2026
- Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2428; text: CR S2428)
- 5/11/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 15 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Mike CrapoRepublican · Idaho
Deb FischerRepublican · Nebraska
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican · Mississippi
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma
Jerry MoranRepublican · Kansas
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Pete RickettsRepublican · Nebraska
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont