# 119-hr-8986: Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act

119-hr-8986, Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-25).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8986
- As of: 2026-06-25
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8986
- Congress: 119
- Title: Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-06-25

## Summary

**Expands Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation for rural hospitals that serve members of the armed forces, their families, and veterans.** The bill would create an alternative pathway so States could designate facilities as CAHs when those facilities meet at least three of five specified criteria, with the pathway taking effect October 1, 2026. - Military families and veterans: Facilities that deliver care to TRICARE beneficiaries and veterans could qualify as Medicare CAHs, improving local access to care for these populations in rural counties. - Rural hospitals and States: A hospital could earn CAH status if it meets at least 3 of 5 criteria, including revenue tests tied to TRICARE (for example 8 percent of total revenue or 15 percent of labor and delivery revenue) and other location or service conditions. - Tribal communities: Hospitals located on a reservation may meet the new pathway and gain CAH designation, recognizing unique rural tribal needs. - Behavioral health and rehab services: Eligible facilities could add distinct psychiatric or rehabilitation units without usual bed-count limits and those units would not be counted against CAH service tests.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (D-WA), 2026-05-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More rural hospital help for military families: benefit, medium. If enacted, this bill would create a new way for States to designate rural hospitals as critical access hospitals beginning October 1, 2026. A hospital would qualify if, at designation, it meets at least 3 of 5 tests, including serving TRICARE beneficiaries and enrolled veterans in rural areas, not…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-4275: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act
- 119-hr-9497: Water Resources Development Act of 2026
- 119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-8986 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8986)

## Related
- [119-hr-4275: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4275)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8870)
- [119-hr-9497: Water Resources Development Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9497)
- [119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4393)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8986 (as of 2026-06-25).