The NURSE Act would require certain healthcare providers, like hospitals and large doctor's offices, to regularly report information about their finances, ownership, and major business dealings to the Department of Health and Human Services. This information would then be made publicly available to help people understand trends in the healthcare industry.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
The NURSE Act would require certain healthcare providers, like hospitals and large doctor's offices, to regularly report information about their finances, ownership, and major business dealings to the Department of Health and Human Services. This information would then be made publicly available to help people understand trends in the healthcare industry.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p>This bill requires certain health care entities to disclose specific information about their ownership and finances.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires entities, subject to civil penalties, to annually report to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) information relating to mergers, acquisitions, and changes in ownership over the previous year, as well as information on the entity's parent company, if applicable. </p> <p>The requirements apply to hospitals, certain ambulatory surgical centers, independent freestanding emergency departments, physician-owned practices that have more than 25 physicians, and physician practices that are owned by a hospital, health plan, private equity company, or venture capital firm. </p> <p>Hospitals must also report information about their business structure, debts, real estate transactions, and certain investments.</p> <p>HHS must post a summary of the reported information on its website, including trends in consolidation. </p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, emergency departments, and large physician practices to annually report details about their ownership, mergers, acquisitions, debts, and real estate transactions to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services publish a summary of this reported information online for public access.
Aims to increase transparency around consolidation and other financial activities within the healthcare industry.
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
If enacted, the NURSE Act would impact healthcare providers and patients by shining a light on the financial and ownership structures of major healthcare entities. This could help patients, policymakers, and researchers better understand trends like hospital mergers and the growth of private equity in healthcare, and how these changes might affect the cost and availability of medical services.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Health
Related Subjects
Accounting and auditing
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Government information and archives
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
3262, 119th Congress (2025). "NURSE Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-3262
