Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act

Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act is a proposed Senate bill that would roll back certain recent changes to Medicaid financing and simultaneously boost funding for rural health transformation. Specifically, it would repeal changes to state Medicaid provider tax authority and to state-directed payments that were enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. At the same time, it would significantly increase funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program under the Social Security Act, adding $10 billion annually for five fiscal years (2031–2035). The bill is introduced in the Senate (S. 2279), introduced by Senator Hawley, and referred to the Senate Finance Committee; it has not yet become law.