118 HR 5989 IH: Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act U.S. House of Representatives 2023-10-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 118th CONGRESS1st Session H. R. 5989 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 19, 2023 Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Moylan, and Ms. Salinas) introduced the following bill October 25, 2023 Referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To authorize rural health facilities to use certain Federal agricultural credit assistance for the purpose of refinancing debt obligations, updating necessary services, technology, and equipment, and supporting ancillary needs.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act.

2.

Assistance for distressed rural health care facilities

(a)

In general

Subtitle A of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1922–1936c) is amended by adding at the end the following:

310J.

Assistance for distressed rural health care facilities

(a)

In general

A health care facility, including a hospital, behavioral health facility, health care clinic (including a mobile health care clinic), home health agency, and long-term care facility, in a rural area may use assistance provided under section 306(a) for a community facility, or under section 310B, to— (1)refinance a debt obligation; (2)update a telehealth, equipment, or online database; or (3)support ancillary needs, including operating expenses and reserve funds. (b)

Limitations

A facility may use assistance pursuant to subsection (a) only if doing so would— (1)help preserve access to a health service in a rural community; (2)meaningfully improve the financial position of the facility; and (3)otherwise meet the financial feasibility and security adequacy requirements of the Rural Development Agency. (c)

Waiver

In the case of an application from a facility referred to in subsection (a) of this section for assistance under section 306(a) for a community facility, or under section 310B, the Secretary may waive the requirement of section 302(a)(1)(D) if the facility that is insolvent or located in a persistent poverty area, socially vulnerable community (as determined by the Secretary), or distressed area (as determined by the Secretary). (d)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Persistent poverty area

The term persistent poverty area means an area with a poverty rate of 20 percent or more for 4 consecutive time periods, approximately 10 years apart, spanning approximately 30 years. (2)

Rural area

The term rural area means an area with a population of 50,000 or fewer inhabitants that is not an urbanized area adjacent or contiguous to a city with a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants.

. (b)

Effective date

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.