This bill updates the location rules for rural health clinics so they can keep qualifying for Medicare. It changes the standard to say a clinic must be outside an “urban area” with 50,000 or more people, based on Census definitions. This is meant to keep the meaning of “rural” consistent as Census terms change.

The change starts on January 1, 2027.

• Who is affected: Rural health clinics, and the Medicare patients who use them.
• What changes: The qualifying location shifts to “outside an urban area with 50,000+ people,” updating older language about “urbanized areas”.
• When: Beginning January 1, 2027.