Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Michael Bennet
Introduced
Summary
Creates temporary zero-percent interest loans to help rural hospitals replace or renovate facilities. The bill would set clear geographic, licensing, and financial rules so only hospitals that demonstrate community need and viability can get support to preserve local primary and emergency care.
Show full summary
- Rural hospitals would be eligible for loans that are zero percent for the first five years and amortized over a term up to the lesser of the facility life or 40 years, with a possible one-time five-year zero-percent renewal based on financial assessments.
- Rural families and communities would benefit because applicants must show how renovations will sustain or add primary and emergency services and produce meaningful community and economic impacts.
- The program would prioritize very remote hospitals in areas under 6 inhabitants per square mile and hospitals with at least 50 percent of recent patient use from Medicare, Medicaid, or self-pay. Borrowers could receive technical assistance from the Health Resources and Services Administration and USDA Rural Development programs to improve operations and finances.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Which hospitals qualify for loans
If enacted, hospitals would be eligible only in small or remote places. A campus must be in a county under 20,000 people and generally be at least 35 miles from the nearest hospital (or 15 miles in mountainous or limited-access areas), or be a Critical Access Hospital or Rural Emergency Hospital. The hospital must have been licensed in the community at least 30 years, certify no major improvements in the past 10 years, and submit need and community-impact statements. Applicants would generally need at least 30 days cash on hand and a projected debt-service coverage ratio of 1.2.
Zero-percent loans for rural hospitals
If enacted, USDA would create a Rural Hospital Revitalization loan program for eligible rural hospitals. Loans would carry 0% interest for the first 5 years and require principal repayment during that period. Total amortization would be the lesser of the facility's expected life or 40 years. After five years, the Secretary would assess financial strength and, if sufficient, refinance the unpaid principal at the prevailing program rate without charging interest for the zero-percent period.
Secretary waiver for application rules
If enacted, the Secretary would be able to waive certain application content requirements for hospitals that demonstrate strong community and economic impacts. The waiver would be discretionary and would apply only to the specified application content rules in the statute.
Technical help for loaned hospitals
If enacted, hospitals that receive a loan would be eligible for technical assistance during the five-year zero-percent period and during a failure-path renewal. Covered help would include HRSA's targeted rural hospital assistance and USDA Rural Development's Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program run with the National Rural Health Association.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Michael Bennet
CO • D
Cosponsors
Jerry Moran
KS • R
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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