NRHA is thankful for rural victories
As Thanksgiving is around the corner, the National Rural Health Association is thankful for the many rural victories we have had to celebrate National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day has grown and is being recognized on Capitol Hill like never before. Several significant speeches were given on both the House and Senate Floor. Additionally, with the passage of the Senate Resolution and the direct supervision bill, this National Rural Health Day is our most successful to date. Here are a few highlights of last Thursday: S. Res. 588 (formerly S. Res. 26.) passes in the Senate. On the evening of National Rural Health Day, Senators Moran (R-KS) and Klobuchar (D-MN) pushed to pass a resolution detailing the importance of rural hospitals and rural providers to patients and the rural economy. Additionally, it outlines how important it is to provide fair reimbursement to those rural providers. NRHA is thankful for Senators Moran and Klobuchar, as well as the other 17 original cosponsors. Congress extends direct supervision enforcement moratorium. HR 4067, introduced by Congresswoman Jenkins (R-KS) passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the President’s signature. It is anticipated that the President will sign. The bill will extend to all of calendar year 2014 the enforcement moratorium on the outpatient therapeutic services “direct supervision” policy for critical access hospitals and rural prospective payment system hospitals with 100 or fewer beds. NRHA and AHA send joint letter to Congress commemorating Rural Health Day. NRHA and the American Hospital Association teamed together to send a letter to the House Rural Health Coalition and the Senate Rural Health Caucus outlining the importance of Rural Health Day. This event, we believe, exemplifies a new commitment on behalf of each association to work together toward to betterment of all rural hospitals. NRHA is thankful for our rural champions and our NRHA members who support rural health care. But our work is not over yet. During December and the next year, NRHA will continue its efforts to protect the rural health safety net. NRHA asks you to continue the fight the 26th Annual Rural Health Policy Institute Feb. 3-5 in Washington, D.C. Click here to register today.