On July 30-31, join NRHA in Washington, D.C. to protect funding for rural hospitals across the country. If Congress does not act by Oct. 1, funding for Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDHs) will expire.  MDHs are small rural facilities that serve a high percentage of Medicare patients.  Expiration will mean over 200 MDHs will lose millions [...]

The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) released a study today outlining the positive accomplishments of the Frontier Extended Stay Clinic (FESC) Pilot Program.  A FESC facility is a “is a geographically isolated medical clinic designed to provide primary, emergency, and extended-stay care 24 hours per day when hospital services are not readily available.”  Pilot sights [...]

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized plans today aimed at reducing ” unnecessary, obsolete, or burdensome regulations”. Among the goals of the the new rules are modifications CMS hopes to “let CAHs partner with other providers so they can be more efficient and ensure the safe and timely delivery of care to [...]

Today, Senator Charles Schumer announced legislation that will extend the Medicare-Dependent Hospital Program and the Low-Volume Hospital Program, which are critical to rural hospitals. This legislation introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator Schumer will extend these two programs that are set to expire on Sept. 30, 2012 for another year. “Rural hospitals are the [...]

On Monday, May 7 Senators Charles Schumer and Chuck Grassley introduced a bill that would extend the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs.  Senate Bill 2620 would help avoid the pending expiration of both programs.  NRHA applauds Senator Schumer and Senator Grassley for their leadership in this important area and call on [...]