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H.R. 8109

U.S. House•In House Committee

Summary

H.R. 8109, the Save Struggling Hospitals Act, was introduced in the House on Mar 26, 2026 by Rep. David Kustoff (R) with 6 co-sponsors. It was referred to Ways And Means, and last saw action on Mar 26, 2026: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Record

Text

H.R. 8109 has 6 co-sponsors.

hb8109/introduced-in-house.txt
119 HR 8109 IH: Save Struggling Hospitals Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-03-26
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8109  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   March 26, 2026   Mr. Kustoff  (for himself and  Ms. Sewell ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Ways and Means    A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Save Struggling Hospitals Act  .
2.
Codification of the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy
Section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E) ) is amended—
(1)
in clause (i), in the first sentence, by striking  or (iv)  and inserting  , (iv), or (v) ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new clause:
(v)
Area wage index adjustment for low-wage hospitals
(I)
In general
For discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2019, the area wage index applicable under this subparagraph for a fiscal year to a hospital with an area wage index (determined without regard to this clause) below the 25th percentile area wage index shall be increased by ½ of the difference between the otherwise applicable final area wage index for such fiscal year for such hospital and the 25th percentile area wage index for such fiscal year across all hospitals.
(II)
Budget neutrality
 Pursuant to the fourth sentence of clause (i), this clause shall be applied in a budget neutral manner. Any adjustments made for the purposes of such application of budget neutrality may not—
(aa)
decrease the area wage index applicable under this subparagraph to a hospital with an area wage index (determined without regard to this clause) below the 75th percentile area wage index for the fiscal year; or
(bb)
result in an area wage index applicable under this subparagraph to a hospital for such fiscal year that is less than 95 percent of the area wage index applicable under this subparagraph to such hospital for the preceding fiscal year.
 .

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2026-03-26
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy.

Sponsors

Rep. David Kustoff (R) sponsors H.R. 8109, and 6 members have co-sponsored it, 1 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 8109 went before 1 committee: Ways and Means.

Ways and Means
Ways and Means
Referred To · Mar 26, 2026 · 1,160 Bills

Actions

H.R. 8109 has taken 2 actions since Mar 26, 2026.

ChamberAction
Mar 26, 2026
House
Introduced in House
Mar 26, 2026
House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.Ways and Means Committee

Votes

H.R. 8109 has not gone to a roll call.

1 bill is related to H.R. 8109, as Identical bill.

Titles

H.R. 8109 goes by 3 titles, 1 of them short titles.

  • Save Struggling Hospitals Act — Display Title
  • Save Struggling Hospitals Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

2 clients hired 2 firms and 2 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 8109 in 3 quarterly filings, 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Health Issues, Medicare/Medicaid.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
BALLAD HEALTHIntegrated health systemTennessee12$100K
ALABAMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATIONStatewide trade organization that assists member hospitals serving the state of Alabama.Alabama11$10K

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
DB3, LLC (FKA THE DASCHLE GROUP)12$100K
ALSTON & BIRD LLP11$10K

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
NICOLE CARELLI112
MICHAEL PARK111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
BALLAD HEALTHDB3, LLC (FKA THE DASCHLE GROUP)2026 second_quarter$50K2nd Quarter - Report
BALLAD HEALTHDB3, LLC (FKA THE DASCHLE GROUP)2026 first_quarter$50K1st Quarter - Report
ALABAMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATIONALSTON & BIRD LLP2026 second_quarter$10K2nd Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 8109 under Health, one of its 31 policy areas.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 8109’s is Health.

hr8109/policy-areas.txt
HealthAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 8109, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. KUSTOFF:H.R. 8109.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Under Article 1, Section 8, the Necessary and ProperClause. Congress shall have the power to make all laws whichshall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution theforegoing powers and all Powers vested by this Constitutionin the Government of the United States, or in any Departmentor Officer thereof.[Page H2777]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com