H.R. 9642 is a bill introduced in the U.S. House on July 13, 2026, by Rep. Moolenaar. It would change how Medicare pays for anesthesiology services at small rural hospitals and critical access hospitals. Under the bill, Medicare Part A would pay these hospitals based on their reasonable costs — but only if they have one or fewer full-time anesthesiologists and perform 800 or fewer surgeries per year requiring anesthesia.
Rural hospitals near Houston that are small or critical access facilities may be paid differently by Medicare for anesthesia services if this bill becomes law, which could affect what services those hospitals offer.
