H.R. 9468 · In committee · Health

STAR Act

Sponsor: Kevin Hern (R-OK)

What it does

• Extends site-neutral payment reductions for long-term care hospitals under Medicare from 2026 through 2032.
• Creates a high-acuity exemption from site-neutral payment rates for long-term care hospitals meeting specified criteria, including patients with high-weight diagnosis-related groups transferred from acute-care hospitals, effective October 1, 2026.
• Modifies ICU and ventilator exemption criteria to include discharges from long-term care hospitals and critical access hospitals, effective October 1, 2026.
• Requires hospitals claiming mid-build status to submit written certification to the Secretary within 60 days of enactment that they had binding construction agreements and spent at least 10 percent of estimated costs prior to enactment.

Latest action

Jul 15, 2026: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.

Committee: House Ways and Means