Rep. Griffith Introduces the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act to Expand Hospital Options
This bill is currently sitting in the House committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means. It has not seen any action since March 2025, which means it has been stalled for 15 months. Most bills like this do not move forward unless a committee decides to hold a vote.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 9001 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 9001 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Physician-owners are essentially small business operators in healthcare. This bill lifts the expansion freeze on existing physician-owned hospitals and opens the door for new ones in qualifying rural areas. Doctors who want to invest in and run their own facilities would gain significant new business opportunities that have been blocked since the Affordable Care Act imposed ownership restrictions in 2010.
“The requirement described in paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply beginning on the date of the enactment of this paragraph.”
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Lawmakers have introduced the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 2191/S. 1390) to allow doctors to own hospitals in rural areas at least 35 miles from existing facilities. The bill faces a clash between medical societies and hospital groups like the AHA and FAH.
Federal lawmakers introduced a bill in March 2025 that would allow physician ownership of rural hospitals located more than 35 miles from a main campus or 15 miles in mountainous terrain. The legislation aims to broaden access to care in underserved communities through direct physician involvement.
The Physician-Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 2191) would permit physicians to own rural hospitals more than 35 miles from existing campuses and lift expansion limits on existing physician-owned facilities. The AMA has voiced strong support for the bipartisan proposal.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
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