Bipartisan bill introduced to preserve rural health access
Today, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., co-chairs of the Congressional Rural Health Coalition, introduced H.R. 3859, the Rural Hospital and Provider Equity (R-HOPE) Act of 2012. This bipartisan bill would help rural communities across America protect and expand access to quality health care. “The quality of health care you receive should not depend on whether you’re from a big city or small town,” Thompson said. “Ensuring everyone has access to high quality, affordable health care isn’t a Republican priority or Democrat priority – it is a national priority. That is why I am proud to be working across the aisle with Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers to make sure that rural America has access to health care.” The National Rural Health Association endorsed today’s bill. "We commend Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Congressman Mike Thompson for the introduction of the Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2012,” said NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. “This legislation will go far in ensuring rural providers have the necessary tools to provide quality care for all rural Americans. We encourage the passage of this vital legislation." Both McMorris Rodgers and Thompson were honored yesterday with NRHA’s Congressional Leadership Award during its 23rd annual Rural Health Policy Institute.