Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act

More support for rural health facilities

If enacted, this bill would let rural health care facilities use Rural Development community facility loans or 310B assistance to refinance debt, update telehealth or equipment, or pay operating costs and reserve funds. A facility would need to show the help would preserve a local health service, would meaningfully improve its finances, and would meet the agency's financial feasibility and security requirements. The Secretary would be able to waive a specific application rule for insolvent facilities or those in persistent poverty areas, socially vulnerable communities, or distressed areas. The bill defines "persistent poverty area" as places with a 20% or higher poverty rate across four roughly 10-year time periods (about 30 years) and defines "rural area" as places with 50,000 or fewer people not next to a city over 50,000. These changes would take effect six months after enactment.