S. 1390 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Apr 9, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands flexibilities for physician-owned rural hospitals
The Stark law is a federal rule that normally stops doctors from directing patients to medical facilities where they have a financial stake. This bill loosens those restrictions specifically for rural hospitals far from other hospitals. It lets doctors and their families own financial interests in these isolated rural hospitals, and it removes limits on how much physician-owned hospitals can expand their operating rooms, procedure rooms, and beds.
How it affects you
If you live in a rural area far from other hospitals, this could affect you directly. The bill aims to help physician-led rural hospitals operate with more flexibility, potentially making it easier for doctors to invest in and grow these facilities in remote communities. People in areas more than 35 miles from another hospital (or 15 miles in mountainous regions) may see changes in how their local hospitals are structured and run.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Apr 9, 2025)
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
This bill expands flexibilities for physicians and physician-owned hospitals under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law).
The Stark law generally prohibits physicians from referring patients to receive services that are payable under Medicare or Medicaid from entities in which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship. The bill allows physicians or their immediate family members to have financial interests in rural hospitals that are located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in certain mountainous areas or areas with only secondary roads) from a hospital or critical access hospital.
The Stark law also generally prohibits physician-owned hospitals from expanding the number of operating rooms, procedure rooms, or beds beyond the number in existence as of March 23, 2010, in order to be excepted under the Stark law. The bill removes this restriction.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1390
A BILL
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
Sponsor: Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) · Introduced Apr 9, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 9, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”