By the American Hospital Association

Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) introduced a House resolution calling access to rural hospitals and other health care providers "essential to the survival and success of communities." More than 46 million people "rely on rural hospitals and other providers as critical access points to health care," House Resolution 356 notes. In addition to providing "vital care" to patients, rural providers "are integral to the local economies and are one of the largest types of employers in rural areas of the United States," the measure states.

In a letter of support for the resolution, AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack said, "Because of their small size, modest assets and financial reserves, and higher percentages of Medicare patients, rural hospitals disproportionately rely on government payments; unfortunately, Medicare payment systems often fail to recognize the unique circumstances of small and rural hospitals. The AHA has and will continue to advocate for appropriate payment on behalf of small and rural hospitals and critical access hospitals." The House resolution mirrors Senate Resolution 26, which was introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in February. 

Office of Rural Health Policy Funding Opportunity Announcement: Rural Health Network Development Program (HRSA-14-044)

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) is pleased to announce the release of the FY 2014 Rural Health Network Development Grant Program (announcement number: HRSA-14-044). ORHP's Network Development Program supports rural integrated health care networks that have combined the functions of the entities participating in the network in order to: achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.

The application can be downloaded off of www.grants.gov and entering in the announcement number (HRSA-14-044) or by clicking on this link:  http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=243713 

National Rural Health Association

Rural Multicultural and Multiracial Health Conference

December 4-5 

San Antonio, Texas

Learn more

Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals