U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) on Tuesday sponsored legislation that would enable certain hospitals to convert to the new Medicare provider designation, which helps rural hospitals remain operating with limited services rather than closing.
“Access to outpatient and emergency services often determines if a rural community can survive,” Sen. Moran said. “More than 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2015, and this legislation will allow these hospitals an opportunity to re-open and serve their communities.”
Specifically, the Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act, S. 3394, would expand eligibility for the rural emergency hospital designation under the Medicare program, according to the congressional record bill summary.
The rural emergency hospital designation was created as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and currently, hospitals are only eligible for the designation if they met the requirements when the legislation was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, according to a bill summary provided by the senator’s staff.
If enacted, the bill would permit previously closed rural hospitals to potentially re-open and apply for the designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 27, 2020, the summary says.
S. 3394 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee for consideration.