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Congressional Research Service
Version 35 · Passed Senate amended · Jan 20, 2016
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2015
This bill amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to extend the period of the Medicare rural community hospital demonstration program from 5 to 10 years.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall allow certain rural community hospitals participating in the demonstration program as of December 30, 2014, to continue during the second five years of the 10-year extension period.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
HHS shall solicit applications to select up to the maximum number of additional rural community hospitals located in any state to participate in this demonstration program for the second five years of the ten-year extension period without exceeding the applicable limitation (30).
In determining which applicant rural community hospitals to select for participation in the demonstration program, HHS:
shall give priority to hospitals located in one of the 20 states with the lowest population densities; and
may consider closures of hospitals located in rural areas in the state in which the hospital is located during the 5-year period immediately preceding the enactment of this Act, as well as the population density of the state.
People & committees
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R–IA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent. (text of committee substitute as amended: CR S138-139)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S138-139; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S138)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 181.
Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-102.
Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-102.
Committee on Finance. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Mar 4, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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