Federal budget bill H.R. 1 threatens to shutter rural hospitals with significant healthcare cuts

The House-passed Federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) proposes deep cuts to federal healthcare funding that state officials warn will force rural hospital closures. The bill reduces support for rural healthcare programs and Medicaid. One-third of Virginia's rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, a crisis lawmakers directly attribute to federal funding instability. If the Senate passes similar cuts, referral networks for independent practices will contract, patient travel distances will increase, and local economies will lose anchor employers. Track the Senate's version of H.R.1; the final conference report will determine the scale of cuts.