Tell Congress to protect rural hospitals during this week's recess
This week, Congress will be back in their districts for the Independence Day holiday to meet with constituents. Contact your member of Congress today. Invite them to your facility, attend town halls and visit their district offices. Tell your Senators and Representatives to protect rural hospitals: • Rural Hospitals are important health care access points for rural patients across the country. • Rural Hospitals are critical to the rural economy. Rural Hospitals are often the largest or second largest employer in a rural community. If a rural hospital closes, severe economic decline in the rural community is the result. Soon after, physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care providers in the community will be forced to leave. Patients will have to travel farther distances for care or will delay receiving care, resulting in poorer health outcomes. Businesses, families, and retirees will not relocate to a rural area if quality health care is not available. • Investments in rural hospitals save tax payer dollars. Rural Hospitals provide cost-effective care. In fact, in comparing identical Medicare services in a rural setting to an urban setting, the cost of care in a rural setting is on-average 3.7 % less expensive. For additional information on the importance of rural hospitals, visit our Congressional Action Kit.