What legislation required hospitals to provide free or reduced-cost care to low-income patients?

The Hill-Burton Act is the legislation that required hospitals to provide free or reduced-cost care to low-income patients. Enacted in 1946, this law aimed to improve the nation’s hospital system by funding the construction of new facilities and expanding existing ones, with a stipulation that hospitals receiving federal funds must provide a certain amount of care without charge to individuals who could not afford it. This provision was put in place to ensure that vulnerable populations had access to necessary medical services, thus addressing disparities in healthcare access.

The other options represent significant health legislation but do not mandate hospitals to offer free or reduced-cost care in the same way. The Medicare Act primarily focused on providing health insurance to individuals aged 65 and older, while the Affordable Care Act aimed to expand health insurance coverage more broadly, including options for low-income individuals, but did not specifically require hospitals to provide free care. The Health Insurance Portability Act addressed issues of health insurance coverage and the protection of patient information but did not involve provisions for free care in healthcare facilities.