Thompson, Tokuda, Alford, and Cuellar Lead Effort to Help Protect Critical Access Hospitals

Office of Representative Glenn Thompson

Feb 26, 2026

Announces a bipartisan bill that would create a new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital designation called an "In Character" Critical Access Hospital. The new designation would ensure hospitals already designated as CAHs do not lose their designation and directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide administration for the designation.

Critical Access Hospitals · Legislation and regulations