Roberts, Franken, Barrasso and Heitkamp Introduce Bill to Improve Rural Health Care

Press Release

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.), co-chairmen of the Senate Rural Health Care Caucus, and Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) today announced they have introduced legislation to improve rural health care by strengthening the rural health delivery system and providing relief to hospitals and other providers serving rural Americans. Today, November 17, is National Rural Health Day.

"Our rural communities face unique needs and often immense hurdles in regards to continuing to provide top-notch care," said Roberts. "The R-HoPE Act recognizes that rural health care providers have very different needs than their urban counterparts and that health care is not one size fits all."

"For millions of rural Americans, getting access to high-quality health care can be a struggle," said Franken. "As a member of the Senate Health Committee, I've traveled across Minnesota to meet with patients, providers, and rural health experts to better understand the challenges that rural communities face in accessing and providing quality care. This bipartisan legislation is a continuation of that effort and would help strengthen health care in Greater Minnesota and all across rural America."

"In Wyoming, we understand the unique challenges our rural and frontier communities must overcome when people need medical care. Washington's one-size-fits-all approach to health care simply doesn't serve Wyoming patients well," said Barrasso. "Our bill will help create an accessible rural health care system by putting our rural providers on a level playing field with other doctors and hospitals across the country. Most importantly, this bill ensures that folks in rural states like Wyoming have access to medical care as close to home as possible."

"Every day I come to the U.S. Senate fighting for rural America, and that includes making sure families living in rural communities can access the quality, affordable health care they deserve," said Heitkamp. "Our bipartisan bill would make needed changes to address the unique health care needs of small and remote towns in North Dakota and across the country. A one-size-fits-all model for health service doesn't work for rural communities, and this bill would change that."

The legislation, named the Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act (R-HoPE), honors the service of the late Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.), former chairman of the Senate Rural Health Caucus. The legislation makes changes to Medicare regulations for rural hospitals and providers, recognizing the difficulty in achieving the same economies of scale as large urban facilities.

Specifically, the legislation:

Equalizes Medicare's disproportionate share of hospital payments to bring rural hospitals in line with urban facilities and provides additional assistance for small, rural hospitals that have a low-volume of patients.

Often, these hospitals have trouble making ends meet under the Medicare payment system.

Extends incentive payments for doctors who practice in rural areas and protects the availability of other health care providers -- such as rural health clinics, home health agencies, ambulances and mental health professionals.

Provides a Capital Infrastructure Loan Program to make loans available to help rural facilities improve crumbling buildings and infrastructure. Rural providers can apply to receive planning grants to help assess capital and infrastructure needs.

Allows marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors to bill Medicare for their services and be paid the rate of social workers, a provision championed by the late Sen. Thomas.

Creates a pilot program providing incentives for home health agencies to purchase and utilize home monitoring and communications technologies.

Facilitates telehealth services across state lines.

The legislation has received support from numerous rural health groups around the country including the National Rural Health Association, the State Offices of Rural Health, the American Hospital Association, and the National Association of Rural Health Clinics.

Members of the Rural Health Caucus have introduced similar legislation in the previous Congresses.

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