Protect and extend important rural provisions
As the Senate prepares to consider the future of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Thursday, a number of critical rural health programs are in dire need of extension. The National Rural Health Association asks that members of Congress act immediately to extend critical rural provisions, including Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) designation, Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) adjustment, the current rural and “super-rural” ambulance payments, and the rural work floor in the Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI). Without these programs, rural doctors, hospitals, and EMS providers across the nation will experience dramatic Medicare reductions without Congressional action. The expiration of these programs will put Medicare beneficiaries’ access to critical primary, emergency and hospital care in severe jeopardy. NRHA is actively advocating for these important provisions. Stayed turned to NRHA and our blog for the latest details on the extenders and the SGR. Register today to join NRHA’s efforts to protect the rural health care safety net programs during NRHA’s 25th annual Rural Health Policy Institute Feb. 4-6 in D.C.