Advocacy

Coordinated grassroots efforts by NRHA members and other rural health advocates are critical to ensuring rural populations have access to health care. NRHA’s advocacy focuses on three pillars:

1. Investing in a Strong Rural Health Care Infrastructure - Testing new payment models of care, while proving stabilizing relief for rural providers, including rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, rural PPS Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
2. Reducing Rural Healthcare Workforce Shortages - Assisting rural communities seeking to recruit, train, and retain health care professionals through testing new models of team-based care, reforming rural Graduate Medical Education, and supporting workforce programs like the National Health Service Corp.
3. Building Rural Health Opportunity - Medical deserts are appearing across rural America leaving many without timely access to care. Addressing rural health gaps and declining life expectancy rates are a top priority for NRHA.