Tell Congress to Support Rural Communities
Rural hospitals care for more than 60 million Americans living in rural communities, representing 20% of the entire U.S. population. These critical facilities are often the sole provider of comprehensive medical care in their communities, and serve older, lower-income populations with a high volume of Medicare-dependent patients. But since 2010, nearly 150 rural hospitals have closed or converted, and many more are at risk.
Congress can help rural communities by supporting legislation that strengthens the rural safety net, protects rural Americans’ coverage, leverages technology to improve access to care, stops health cuts, ensures fair competition to protect rural hospital viability, and invests in the rural health care workforce. Learn more about protecting rural community access to care below.
Congressional Statement
“Protecting rural care means protecting rural hospitals” — Chair of FAH Rural Hospital Committee Honors Rural Health Day
On National Rural Health Day, the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) proudly recognizes the vital role rural hospitals play in safeguarding the health of more than 60 million Americans.
Steve Albrecht, Chair of FAH’s Rural Hospital Committee and Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs at ScionHealth, released a statement honoring the dedicated teams who keep rural hospitals running and calling attention to the urgent challenges threatening their sustainability.
Congressional Statement
FAH Sends Recommendations for Implementing the Rural Health Transformation Fund to CMS Administrator Dr. Oz
FAH recently sent a letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz outlining recommendations for implementing the Rural Health Transformation Funding (RHTF) included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
Among FAH’s recommendations were prioritizing direct payments to rural hospitals for essential services like emergency care, behavioral health, obstetrics, and specialty care and ensuring eligibility for all rural hospitals—regardless of ownership or tax status.
Congressional Statement
FAH Urges Congress to Extend Tax Credits, Avert Cuts to Rural Hospitals
When Congress returned from August recess and began negotiations over government funding and end-of-year legislation, FAH sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging Congress to preserve patient access to hospital care by extending several critical health programs set to expire.
Specifically, FAH called on Congress to strengthen health care choice and affordability for hardworking Americans by extending the enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs) in the individual market and support rural hospitals by extending key rural hospital funding programs.
Congressional Statement
FAH Statement on E&C Telehealth Markup
In this statement to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, FAH endorsed the advancement of several bills that would expand access to these critical services.
Hospitals have been at the forefront of implementing innovative health care technologies and making telehealth and remote patient monitoring part of our operations – particularly in rural communities where access to care can be more difficult.
Congressional Statement
FAH Outlines Legislative Priorities in Letter to Leadership
FAH kicked off 2024 by outlining key priorities for Congressional leadership. These priorities include ensuring the long-term fiscal stability of rural hospitals by extending the Low Volume Hospital (LVH) and Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) programs.
Report
Hospitals’ Unique Role in Providing 24-Hour Care
A new analysis confirms hospitals and health systems provide access to 24/7 care that other providers typically cannot offer, making them indispensable, crucial access points for care especially in rural areas.
Congressional Statement
FAH End-of-Year Policy Priorities
As the 118th Congress comes to a close, FAH is advocating for rural patients and communities, including support for a permanent extension of the Medicare-Dependent Hospital and Low-Volume Hospital adjustment payment programs.
These programs ensure access to care for patients by keeping rural hospitals’ doors open, even as they deal with underpayment by government programs, tactics that delay and deny care by managed care plans, and workforce and other operational challenges.
Congressional Statement
FAH Statement to Senate Finance on Rural Health
FAH advocated for rural access to care ahead of the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing entitled “Rural Health Care: Supporting Lives and Improving Communities.” FAH raised the ongoing challenges rural communities must deal with in accessing care, making rural hospitals more financially stable, and maintaining an adequate workforce in the face of provider burnout, physician and staffing shortages, and difficulties in attracting workers.
