A bipartisan bill recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) would provide federal relief to America’s struggling rural hospitals.
“Rural hospitals are critical in communities across IL-16 and the country,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “As we continue to battle COVID-19, we must take swift action to protect the critical healthcare infrastructure providing care in our rural communities.”
Rep. Kinzinger on March 8 sponsored the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, H.R. 1639, with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) to amend the Social Security Act to restore state authority to waive the 35-mile rule for designating critical access hospitals under the Medicare program for certain facilities, according to the congressional record bill summary.
Specifically, H.R. 1639 would expand and utilize a tested and proven rural payment system known as the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, which would stabilize rural hospitals until a long-term payment model is developed, according to information provided by Rep. Kinzinger’s office.
“I’m pleased to have the support of my House and Senate colleagues as we work to designate these struggling rural facilities as CAHs for the patients and communities relying on the services they provide,” said Rep. Kinzinger, who initially introduced the bill in December 2019.
The U.S. Senate companion measure, S. 644, was introduced on March 9 by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and James Lankford (R-OK).