HB232 • 2026

Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program; establish and provide eligibility.

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 41-9-353, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE SPECIALTY DOCTORS TO RURAL HOSPITALS GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALTY DOCTORS IN RURAL HOSPITALS WHEN A MAJOR HOSPITAL INDICATES TO A RURAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DOCTOR THAT THE MAJOR HOSPITAL IS ON DIVERSION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL ADMINISTER AND DISTRIBUTE GRANT FUNDS TO RURAL HOSPITALS FOR SUCH PURPOSE; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE FOR ESTABLISHING A PAYMENT STRUCTURE; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Healthcare

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Scott, Anthony
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there are no official rules or regulations established.

Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program

This bill proposes a grant program for rural hospitals to hire specialty doctors when major hospitals are on diversion.

What This Bill Does

Creates the Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program to help rural hospitals hire specialty doctors.
Requires the Mississippi Department of Health to manage and distribute grants to rural hospitals.
Establishes considerations for determining grant amounts, including hospital size, distance from major hospitals, patient demographics, and specific medical needs.
Directs the Department of Health to create rules and regulations for the program.

Who It Names or Affects

Rural hospitals in Mississippi with 50 or fewer beds
Specialty doctors who might work at rural hospitals
Patients needing specialty care at rural hospitals

Terms To Know

rural hospital: A licensed Mississippi hospital that has fifty (50) or fewer general acute, nonspecialty beds.
diversion: When a major hospital tells other hospitals it cannot accept new patients because it's too busy.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and was never enacted.
It is unclear how much funding would be available for the grants.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Died In Committee
2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/07 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program; establish and provide eligibility.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 232 *HR43/R1249* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1249
PAGE 1 (RF\KP)

To: Public Health and Human
Services; Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Scott, Anthony

HOUSE BILL NO. 232

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 41-9-353, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO CREATE THE SPECIALTY DOCTORS TO RURAL HOSPITALS GRANT 2
PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALTY 3
DOCTORS IN RURAL HOSPITALS WHEN A MAJOR HOSPITAL INDICATES TO A 4
RURAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DOCTOR THAT THE MAJOR HOSPITAL IS ON 5
DIVERSION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL 6
ADMINISTER AND DISTRIBUTE GRANT FUNDS TO RURAL HOSPITALS FOR SUCH 7
PURPOSE; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT 8
SHALL MAKE FOR ESTABLISHING A PAYMENT STRUCTURE; TO REQUIRE THE 9
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO 10
ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 12
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 13
41-9-353, Mississippi Code of 1972: 14
41-9-353. (1) There is established the Specialty Doctors to 15
Rural Hospitals Grant Program. 16
(2) The Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program 17
shall be administered by the State Department of Health for the 18
purpose of ensuring the availability of specialty doctors in rural 19
hospitals when a major hospital indicates to a rural hospital 20
emergency doctor that the major hospital is on diversion. 21
H. B. No. 232 *HR43/R1249* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1249
PAGE 2 (RF\KP)
ST: Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant
Program; establish and provide eligibility.
(3) The department shall administer and distribute grant 22
funds to rural hospitals for such purpose. The department shall 23
administer the program with the intent to ensure rural hospital 24
patients have the opportunity to be treated by specialty doctors 25
when a major hospital indicates to a rural hospital emergency 26
doctor that the major hospital is on diversion. 27
(4) The department shall establish a payment structure that 28
considers the following: 29
(a) The size of the rural hospital; 30
(b) The distance of the rural hospital from a major 31
hospital; 32
(c) The health demographics of the rural hospital; 33
(d) The need for a specific type of specialty doctor in 34
a specific rural hospital. 35
(5) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to 36
accomplish the purpose of the program. 37
(6) For purposes of this section, "rural hospital" means a 38
licensed Mississippi hospital that has fifty (50) or fewer 39
licensed general acute, nonspecialty beds. 40
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 41
and after July 1, 2026. 42