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H.R. 9163House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Critical Access Hospital RIP Act of 2026

Sponsored by Bennie G. ThompsonRep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS)
Introduced June 4, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated June 12, 2026 at 5:52 AM UTC

The bill amends the Social Security Act to protect rural hospitals that have been designated as critical access hospitals from losing that status due to changes in nearby roads or bridges. It ensures that once a hospital is designated, later road projects that would otherwise affect the distance‑to‑nearest‑hospital requirement do not cause the hospital to lose its critical access designation. This protects the funding and services of rural hospitals affected by transportation upgrades.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new subparagraph (F) to the definition of a critical access hospital, stating that a facility will not lose its status because a roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement changes the distance criteria after the hospital was designated.
  • Specifies that if a hospital would meet the distance requirement except for a road improvement completed after its designation, it is still considered to meet that requirement.
  • Defines “roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement” to include construction, realignment, widening, or enhancement of a highway or roadway, and the construction or modification of a bridge, overpass, or tunnel.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

June 4, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 4, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

June 4, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 4, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9163

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 4, 2026

Mr. Thompson of Mississippi (for himself, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Figures, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Fields, and Mrs. McIver) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure that facilities do not lose critical access hospital status as a result of a roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Critical Access Hospital Roadway Impact Protections Act of 2026 or the Critical Access Hospital RIP Act of 2026.

2.

Ensuring that facilities do not lose critical access hospital status as a result of a roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement

Section 1820(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–4(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(F)

Disregard of subsequent roadway or transportation infrastructure improvements

(i)

In general

A facility that is or at any point was designated as a critical access hospital by a State under subparagraph (B) that would meet the criterion specified in clause (i)(I) of such subparagraph but for a roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement completed on or after the date of such designation shall be deemed to continue to meet such criterion.

(ii)

Roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement defined

For purposes of clause (i), the term roadway or transportation infrastructure improvement includes—

(I)

the construction, realignment, widening, or enhancement of a highway or roadway; and

(II)

the construction or modification of a bridge, overpass, or tunnel.

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