Rural Health Clinic Location Modernization Act of 2025

This bill proposes to amend the Social Security Act, specifically Section 1861(aa)(2), to modify the criteria for a facility to qualify as a rural health clinic under the Medicare program. The amendment redefines what constitutes an "urban area" that would prevent a clinic from receiving this designation, aiming to modernize the location standards. Currently, clinics in "urbanized areas" are disqualified; this bill changes that to "an urban area (as defined by the Bureau of the Census) with a population of 50,000 or more." This revision effectively narrows the scope of disqualifying urban areas, potentially allowing more clinics in less populated urban settings to qualify for rural health clinic status . These updated standards are scheduled to apply starting January 1, 2027 .