Restoring Rights of Physicians to Own Hospitals Act

This legislation, known as the "Restoring Rights of Physicians to Own Hospitals Act," proposes significant amendments to Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. Its primary goal is to repeal the restrictions on physician ownership or investment in hospitals that were established under the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as the "Obamacare ban." The bill specifically targets Section 1877 of the Social Security Act, which governs physician self-referral prohibitions. It seeks to eliminate certain requirements for hospitals to qualify for both the rural provider and hospital exceptions to these ownership or investment prohibitions. By striking subsection (i), the legislation aims to remove limitations on the establishment of new physician-owned hospitals and the expansion of existing ones, thereby allowing for greater physician involvement in hospital ownership.