WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced the Rural Hospital Flexibility Act, which provides rural hospitals with critical funding to support training, technical support, and equipment to better serve patients. This legislation comes at a time when health facilities across the country – including in rural areas – face major challenges in keeping their doors open. The reintroduction of this legislation coincided with yesterday’s National Rural Health Day when the country recognizes the work of rural health professionals.
“At a time when strains on the health care system put at risk the ability of rural health care providers to keep their doors open, it is crucial that we provide hospitals and doctors in rural communities with the support that they need,” said Senator Hassan. “Reauthorizing and modernizing the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program is a commonsense way to ensure that New Hampshire’s rural hospitals have access to the support, training, and equipment that they need to give Granite Staters the best possible care.”
“Wyoming’s frontier and rural hospitals know better than anyone what their patients and communities need,” said Senator Barrasso. “The Rural Flex program gives them the tools and flexibility to keep their doors open and continue delivering high-quality care. Hospitals rely on this program to strengthen their workforce, update critical technology, and improve patient outcomes. Our legislation will ensure they are free from one-size-fits-all Washington mandates that simply don’t work in rural America.”
“The Rural Hospital Flex program has long helped Nevada’s rural hospitals serve the needs of their communities,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill will allow health care facilities across the Silver State to keep their doors open and ensure that Nevadans in all 17 counties have access to the high-quality, affordable health care they need.”
“For over 25 years, the FLEX program has been instrumental in supporting rural hospitals and healthcare providers, ensuring access to quality care for millions of Americans,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Reauthorization Act would build on this legacy by modernizing the program to support quality improvement, behavioral health services, telehealth, and innovative care models. This reauthorization reflects our commitment to ensuring that rural hospitals and clinics can continue to serve as lifelines for their communities, providing high-quality, sustainable care well into the future.”
“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Senators Hassan, Barrasso, Cortez Masto, and Blackburn for leading the reintroduction of the Rural Hospital Flexibility Act. NRHA is proud to support this legislation that continues to improve healthcare for rural communities and keep rural hospitals open. This bill will reauthorize the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program, which functions as a lifeline for rural America. Flex plays an integral role in helping Critical Access Hospitals improve their financial status and focus on enhancing quality of care, which supports rural communities’ access to excellent, sustainable healthcare,” said Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association.
“The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) applauds Senator Hassan and her Senate colleagues for introducing this strong bipartisan bill. This bill seeks to provide stability to the FLEX grant program which provides states with funding needed to support Critical Access Hospitals in New Hampshire and all 50 states,” said Tammy Norville, CEO of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health.
The legislation permanently reauthorizes the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program, which supports Critical Access Hospitals – small, rural hospitals that have fewer than 25 beds and are located either more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or more than 15 miles in areas with mountainous terrain or only secondary roads. New Hampshire has 13 Critical Access Hospitals located throughout the state.
This bipartisan bill is part of Senator Hassan’s continued efforts to support rural health care. Senator Hassan leads bipartisan legislation to support rural health care facilities in providing urgent obstetric care. Earlier this year she also introduced the Keep Obstetrics Local Act (KOLA), to address the rising trend of labor and delivery unit closures in rural and underserved areas.
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