U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on Feb. 2 introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to extend a technical support program for clinicians in small practices participating in a federal rural healthcare program.
“Small healthcare providers in rural and underserved areas don’t have the big administrative staffs to deal with complex Medicare reporting requirements,” Sen. Cassidy said. “This legislation gives support to small practice docs so they can focus on providing the best quality care for their communities.”
The Small Practice, Underserved, and Rural Support Program (SURS) Extension Act of 2022, S. 3557/H.R. 6576, is cosponsored by Sen. Cassidy and Rep. Burgess in each chamber. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) are bill sponsors.
If enacted, the SURS Extension Act would reauthorize the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ technical assistance initiative for clinicians in small practices participating in the SURS program, which is set to end on Feb. 15 without congressional action to extend it.
“Our healthcare heroes have put it all on the line over the duration of this pandemic,” said Rep. Burgess. “We have a responsibility to support them in every way we can.”
The congressman noted that the SURS program has been particularly successful in providing the technical support needed to navigate reporting requirements for rural and underserved physicians who want to transition to value-based care.
“We must provide this support to physicians who want to modernize their models of care,” Rep. Burgess said.
The SURS Extension Act is endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Home Care Medicine, the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, Alliant Health Solutions, Altarum, Civitas Networks for Health, the Colorado Medical Society, the Medical Group Management Association, MetaStar Inc., the National Coalition on Health Care, and numerous other companies and organizations.