U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) voiced their support of the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2015 last week, a bill that protects rural hospitals from having to limit patients’ stays to less than 96 hours.
Both Senators are original co-sponsors of the bill, which would in essence repeal the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s “condition of payment” rule, which was implemented to hold down medical costs. The rule requires physicians at Critical Access Hospitals to mandate that a patient will remain hospitalized no longer than four days, if they are admitted.
“Critical Access Hospitals are essential to the health care system, especially for Mississippians living in rural areas who would have limited or no access to quality care,” Wicker said. “There are better ways to lower costs than with a misguided rule that would otherwise unfairly hurts patients and hospitals.”
There are 32 Critical Access Hospitals in Mississippi.
“Patient access to health care services is a large problem for Mississippi and other rural states,” Cochran said. “The federal government would compound that problem by imposing a rule that could put hospitals in the difficult position of forcing patients out the door due to concerns over reimbursement. We need to address the negative impact this regulation could have on those who live in rural communities before it is too late.”