Senators respond to CAH threats
Twenty senators sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee in response to the cuts in the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget aimed at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and the Office of Inspector General’s report. The Dear Colleague letter states the vital role CAHs play in providing access to health care and jobs in rural communities. CAHs serve as the safety nets for hundreds of thousands of rural Americans, providing inpatient and outpatient services, as well as 24-hour emergency care. The National Rural Health Association applauds these 20 senators for standing up for health care in rural America: Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI); Mike Crapo (ID); Brian Schatz (HI); Tom Udall (NM); Al Franken (MN); Roger Wicker (MS); Amy Klobuchar (MN); Susan Collins (ME); Maria Cantwell (WA); Thad Cochran (MS); James Risch (ID); Heidi Heitkamp (ND); Chuck Grassley (IA); Tim Johnson (SD); Joe Donnelly (IN); Mark Pryor (AR); Jerry Moran (KS); Tom Harkin (IA); Mark Begich (AK); and John Hoeven (ND).