NE Missouri News

Congressional Republicans and President Trump have introduced new funding to improve health care access in rural areas, including Missouri. The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), created under recent tax legislation, provides $50 billion for states to expand and sustain health care services in rural communities. States are eligible to apply for these funds to strengthen care delivery systems and support recruitment and retention of clinical staff in rural areas.

In a letter addressed to Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Department of Social Services Director Jessica Bax, and Department of Health and Senior Services Director Sarah Willson, Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08), and other members of the Missouri congressional delegation outlined the pressing health challenges facing rural communities. The lawmakers stated: "For the 20 percent of Americans – 60 million in total – that live in rural communities, insufficient access to health care is a daily crisis and contributes to worse health outcomes. These patients are often forced to drive an hour or more for basic medical services and face critical barriers when trying to receive specialized services such as oncology or maternity and obstetric care. The inability to directly and efficiently access care is devastating to rural communities across the country. It is unsurprising that rural patient cancer mortality is 13 percent higher than that of urban patients; that rural maternal mortality is twice as high as urban maternal mortality; and that rural mortality overall is 43 percent higher than urban mortality across natural causes. Access challenges are worsened when rural communities lose these critical service lines, or worse, their entire hospital facilities. Missouri has had 12 rural hospitals close in the past decade, reducing access to care for thousands of Missourians. Nationwide, nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed in that timeframe, while more than 100 rural hospitals have stopped providing maternity services in just the last five years. Nearly 400 rural hospitals have stopped providing chemotherapy services since 2014. We are committed to identifying the root causes of rural America’s health care access problem and engaging in meaningful solutions, such as the RHTP, to improve health care for the 60 million American families that need it most."

Sam Graves has represented Missouri’s 6th district in Congress since replacing Pat Danner in 2001. He previously served both in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1993-1995 and the Missouri Senate from 1995-2001. Graves was born in Tarkio, Missouri in 1963, where he currently resides. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Missouri in 1986.

Missouri officials are being encouraged by their congressional delegation to prioritize policies supporting improved health care access as they apply for RHTP funding.