An Act to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide payment for rural health clinic services, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-210 · H.R. 8422 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 13, 1977 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski (D-IL-8)
Cosponsors (10): Rep. John Duncan, Rep. James Corman,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment for rural health clinic services under the supplementary medical insurance program.
Requires the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to conduct a feasibility study of imposing a copayment for each visit to a rural health clinic instead of the medicare deductible and coinsurance.
Amends Title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include rural health clinic services within the definition of "Medical assistance" eligible for payment under the Title.
Amends Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment for rural health clinic services under the supplementary medical insurance program.
Requires that a State plan for medical assistance provide for payment for rural health clinic services. Provides for certification and approval of such clinics.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the advantages and disadvantages of extending coverage under the Medicare program to urban or rural mental health centers.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the disclosure of the mailing address of taxpayers to employees of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for the purpose of locating and determining certain vital status of workers.
Directs the Secretary to acquire the Space Center Memorial Hospital in Nassau Bay, Texas, for the purpose of transferring the functions of the Public Health Service Hospital in Galveston, Texas, to such facility. Authorizes the Secretary to close the public Health Service Hospital in Galveston, Texas.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.
- Dec 13, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-210.
- Dec 1, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Nov 30, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 29, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Nov 1, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-790.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-790.
- Oct 25, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Oct 19, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Oct 17, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 19, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jul 29, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
- Jul 19, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.