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H.R. 9642119th CongressIn markupLatest action Jul 15, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
Small rural hospitals could bill Medicare for anesthesiologist services as hospital costs instead of separate physician billing.
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The bill lets small rural hospitals and critical access hospitals bill Medicare for anesthesiologist services under Part A, using reasonable cost reimbursement, instead of the anesthesiologist billing separately under Part B. To qualify, a hospital must have had no more than one full-time anesthesiologist as of enactment, 800 or fewer anesthesia surgical procedures in 2026 (or a higher number set by Medicare officials), and the anesthesiologist must agree not to bill Part B separately. Hospitals must keep meeting the volume limit each year to continue qualifying.
This affects small, low-volume rural hospitals and critical access hospitals, along with the anesthesiologists they employ or contract with. Patients in these rural communities who need procedures requiring anesthesia are also affected.
The change shifts Medicare's payment method for these services from physician billing to hospital cost reporting, which supporters argue makes it easier for such hospitals to retain anesthesia services and preserve surgical and emergency care access.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 41 - 0.