ARCH Act
Sponsored By: Representative Miller (WV)
Introduced
Summary
This bill would extend Medicare payment protections for rural hospitals by lengthening Medicare-Dependent Hospital and Low-Volume Hospital payment authorities through 2031 and into fiscal year 2032. It would also require the Comptroller General to report on rural hospital classifications and overlaps.
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- Rural hospitals: Keeps MDH and LVH payment methods, reclassification options, and target-amount calculations in effect through 2031 and parts of fiscal year 2032, prolonging Medicare support tied to those designations.
- Rural patients and communities: By sustaining targeted Medicare payments, the bill aims to help preserve local hospital finances and maintain access to inpatient and emergency services in rural areas.
- Policymakers: Would require the Government Accountability Office to submit a report within 180 days listing counts by classification for the prior five fiscal years, analyzing overlap, and recommending simplification and criteria changes to promote financial sustainability.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Longer support for rural Medicare hospitals
If enacted, this would extend special Medicare payment rules for rural hospitals through 2031. It would move several deadlines, including changing April 1, 2025 to October 1, 2031, and one item to fiscal year 2032. Hospitals that qualify as Medicare-dependent or low-volume would keep adjusted payment methods. This could help some rural hospitals stay stable, which could help rural Medicare patients keep local care.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Miller (WV)
WV • R
Cosponsors
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 5/19/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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