U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) on Feb. 26 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of a bill that aims to stabilize America’s rural hospitals so they can keep their doors open and continue delivering critical access care to the communities that depend on them.
“Rural America continues to face challenges when it comes to delivering health care services,” Rep. Thompson said. “By expanding and providing increased flexibility for at-risk rural hospitals, we can help ensure our communities continue to have robust access to world-class care.”
The congressman introduced the bipartisan Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, H.R. 7727, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) to create a new “In Character” critical access hospital (CAH) designation. U.S. Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) also cosponsored the bill.
Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services instituted an updated mapping framework, causing some rural hospitals to lose eligibility for CAH designation, despite the physical location of the facility being unchanged.
The new designation would create parity for the financial benefits between typical CAHs and those under the newly created In Character CAH designation, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Thompson’s staff.
Specifically, H.R. 7727 would ensure continued CAH designation for those already designated. It also would allow the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) discretionary authority to designate facilities as In Character CAHs for up to three years if they meet certain criteria.
Additionally, HHS would be directed to issue guidance on eligibility standards, documentation requirements, and renewal conditions, and to establish monitoring and reporting requirements for “In Character” CAH facilities to ensure performance, patient access, and financial stability improvements during the in-character designation.
Likewise, HHS would be required to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make available technical assistance free of charge to the in-character designated facilities to help strengthen financial and operational status during the designation period, the summary says.
“We aren’t just talking about supporting Missouri’s rural hospitals, we’re taking action,” said Rep. Alford. “This vital legislation will sustain our rural hospitals like Bates County Memorial, preventing closures and ensuring continued access to emergency care for communities like those in the Fourth District.”