Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 4002
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Health
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last Updated: 2026-03-06T09:06:56Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025 aims to undo certain restrictions imposed by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on physician referrals to hospitals under Medicare. Specifically, it seeks to restore flexibility for physician-owned hospitals by repealing limits on exceptions to rules that prohibit doctors from referring Medicare patients to facilities where they have a financial stake, helping to promote competition and access to care.

Key Provisions

Short Title: The bill is titled the "Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025."
Repeal of Specific ACA Sections: It repeals:
Sections 6001 and 10601 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010), which limited expansions and new ownership in physician-owned hospitals.
Section 1106 of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which made those limits permanent.
Restoration of Prior Law: Any laws changed by these repealed sections are automatically restored to their pre-2010 state, as if the restrictions had never been enacted.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The bill reverses ACA-era amendments to the "whole hospital exception" under the Stark Law (a federal rule that bans self-referrals by physicians to entities like hospitals where they have financial relationships, to prevent conflicts of interest).
Pre-2010, physician-owned hospitals could expand facilities and accept Medicare referrals more freely if they met certain criteria. The ACA froze most expansions after 2010 and banned new physician ownership in hospitals, except in limited rural or underserved cases.
This repeal eliminates those freezes and bans, allowing physician-owned hospitals to grow and participate in Medicare without prior restrictions.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would need to update regulations and oversight to align with the restored pre-ACA rules, potentially simplifying enforcement but increasing monitoring for conflicts of interest in referrals.
On Citizens: Medicare patients could gain better access to specialized care in physician-owned facilities, especially in rural or underserved areas, but it might also lead to higher costs if expansions prioritize profitable services over broad needs.
On International Relations: No direct impacts, as this is a domestic health policy focused on U.S. Medicare.
Overall, it could encourage more investment in hospitals, boosting local economies, but raises risks of over-referral and uneven care distribution.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Physicians and Hospital Owners: Doctors with ownership stakes in hospitals benefit from eased restrictions on expansions and referrals.
Hospitals: Physician-owned facilities gain competitive advantages; traditional or nonprofit hospitals might face increased competition.
Medicare Beneficiaries: Elderly and disabled patients relying on Medicare could see more care options but potential quality or cost variations.
Government and Taxpayers: CMS and Congress, as they manage Medicare spending; taxpayers fund the program and could see shifts in healthcare costs.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Restores statutory language without creating new rules, avoiding challenges to congressional authority; it directly targets ACA provisions deemed restrictive, potentially reducing litigation over hospital compliance with Stark Law exceptions.
Constitutional: No apparent issues, as it involves standard legislative repeal under Congress's spending and commerce powers.
Political: As a targeted rollback of ACA elements, it reflects bipartisan support (evident from cosponsors across parties) for pro-competition health policies, but could fuel debates on healthcare reform integrity and anti-kickback protections in a polarized Congress.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]

Cosponsors (12)

Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28], Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1], Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1], Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5], Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2], Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

Recent Actions

2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-06-12: Introduced in House
2025-06-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-12 — PDF (2 pages)