ARCH Act

This bill keeps extra Medicare support for small rural hospitals going longer. It extends special payments for Medicare‑dependent hospitals and low‑volume hospitals through 2031, to help them cover costs and stay open in their communities .

It also orders a federal study on rural hospital categories. The study must count how many hospitals fall into each category, look at where the rules overlap, suggest ways to simplify them, and recommend changes to help rural hospitals stay financially stable and improve access to care in rural areas. The report is due within 180 days after the bill becomes law, and it will also examine what happens if certain hospitals use 2021 cost data for payment calculations.

Key points

• Who is affected: Small rural hospitals, especially Medicare‑dependent and low‑volume hospitals; people in rural areas who rely on them .
• What changes: Extends these Medicare payment boosts through 2031; lets some hospitals decline being reclassified through 2031; requires a 6‑month study on rural hospital rules and payments .
• When: Payment extensions run through 2031; the study is due 180 days after enactment .