Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026

The Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026 establishes the **Rural Health Care Facility Stabilization Assistance Program** to offer financial assistance to struggling rural health centers. This program authorizes the Secretary to provide loans and loan guarantees to prevent the closure of these facilities or the reduction of their essential services, thereby safeguarding access to healthcare in rural communities.

To be eligible, health centers must be located in or primarily serve rural areas and demonstrate **financial distress** through objective indicators like low operating margins or cash reserves. The bill broadly defines eligible "health centers" to include various types of hospitals, clinics, and specialized care facilities.

Funds from these loans and guarantees can be used for a range of critical needs, including:

• acquiring, repairing, or upgrading facilities and equipment;
• covering operational costs such as supplies and payroll (excluding bonuses);
• managing debt payments, working capital, and refinancing high-interest debt.

The Secretary may prioritize assistance for sole community providers, facilities in high poverty or health service shortage areas, and hospitals offering critical emergency services. The Act also mandates a report to Congress within 18 months detailing the program's activities and its impact on stabilizing rural health care finances.