How S 521 changes current law

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds a provision allowing certain rural community hospitals to be designated as critical access hospitals without meeting distance requirements for a limited time.

• 42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(c)(2)(B)(i)

  none → (III) with respect to designations occurring during the 1-year period beginning on the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this subclause, is a rural community hospital (as defined in subsection (f) of section 410A of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003) that was participating in the demonstration program established under such section as of such date of enactment.

  This change allows specific rural community hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals without adhering to standard distance criteria for a limited time.

• 42 U.S.C. 1395ww note

  is not → is not a critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Security Act).

  This change clarifies that certain entities are not considered critical access hospitals, aligning definitions within the act.