H.R. 2191 — Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act

This section revises exceptions under the physician self-referral law (Stark Law) for physician-owned hospitals. (1) It defines a "covered rural hospital" as one located in a rural area (per SSA section 1886(d)(2)(D)) that, as of its Medicare enrollment, is more than a 35-mile drive (or 15-mile drive in mountainous terrain or areas with only secondary roads available) from another hospital or critical access hospital; such hospitals are exempted from specified requirements previously applicable to hospitals under Stark Law subsection (d)(2)(C) (relating to physician ownership disclosures) and (d)(3)(D) (relating to ownership limitations in rural providers). (2) It terminates the prohibition on expansion of grandfathered physician-owned hospitals under Stark Law subsection (i)(1)(B) as of the date of enactment. (Thus, such hospitals may increase licensed bed capacity, add facilities, or expand covered services.)