Moran Introduces Legislation To Support Rural Hospitals

Press Release

Moran Introduces Legislation To Support Rural Hospitals

Congressman Jerry Moran has introduced legislation that would support Kansas rural hospitals and help the patients they serve. The Enhanced Rural Health Care Extension Act of 2009, H.R. 3806, would extend funding for the Rural Community Hospital Program and allow Kansas hospitals to be considered for participation. This program, which is set to expire this November, helps small rural hospitals by providing them with enhanced Medicare reimbursements for inpatient services and other assistance.

"The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program assists small rural hospitals with the challenges of caring for an increasingly aging population across a wide geographic area," said Moran. "However, Kansas was not initially selected as one of the states to participate in the program. Several Kansas hospitals appear to meet all the necessary criteria to be considered for participation and this bill would allow them that opportunity."

The ten least sparsely populated states in the U.S. were originally authorized for participation. Kansas was excluded from participation because it ranks 11th in population density. H.R. 3806 would (i) extend the program by 5 additional years; and (ii) expand the program to include and consider hospitals from the 15 states with the lowest population density in the U.S.

"While health care costs are important," Moran continued, "of equal importance is access to care because it does no good to have an insurance card if there is no physician, nurse, or hospital to administer care. This bill would support Kansas hospitals and enhance their ability to serve their communities."

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