NE Missouri News

Congressman Sam Graves and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski have reintroduced the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act. This bipartisan effort aims to support rural hospitals facing financial difficulties due to rising costs and declining Medicare reimbursement rates.

“Falling Medicare reimbursement rates have been hammering rural hospitals for years,” stated Congressman Graves. He noted that over 150 rural hospitals have closed in the past 15 years, with many more at risk. According to Graves, the closure of these facilities results in families losing access to healthcare, job losses, and community suffering. He expressed pride in reintroducing this bill to maintain hospital operations and ensure accessible care.

Congresswoman Budzinski emphasized the critical role of rural hospitals as a lifeline for their communities. She highlighted the impact of increasing healthcare costs and outdated Medicare repayment rules leading to closures. “The Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act offers a real solution,” said Budzinski, aiming to help these hospitals achieve financial stability and continue serving communities.

Since 2010, more than 150 rural hospitals have shut down across the country, forcing patients to travel further for care or delay necessary healthcare services. Currently, 453 rural hospitals operate under conditions similar to those that led others to close in the past decade.

The proposed legislation seeks to address these issues by eliminating Medicare sequestration for rural hospitals, making telehealth service enhancements permanent for certain health centers and clinics, and permanently increasing Medicare payments for rural ground ambulance services.

Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), praised Representatives Graves and Budzinski for introducing this legislation. "Since 2010, 190 rural hospitals have closed their doors or stopped providing inpatient care," he noted. Morgan believes this legislation will support rural health infrastructure and maintain local access to care for approximately 60 million Americans living in rural areas.