Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – Starting off the new year in a speech to the National Rural Health Association, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today outlined his priorities for rural health care legislation as Co-Chairman of the Senate Rural Health Care Caucus.
The following are key excerpts from the speech:
“In June, I was proud to join with Sen. Kent Conrad and Tom Harkin in introducing the Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act - S. 1605 - to honor Sen. Thomas. This legislation recognizes that rural health care providers have very different needs than their urban counterparts and that health care is not one size fits all. Passage of this legislation is the top Priority for the Senate Rural Health Caucus this year.
“The Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act - also known as the R-HOPE bill - makes changes to Medicare regulations for rural hospitals and providers recognizing the difficulty in achieving the same economies of scale as large urban facilities. Our legislation equalizes Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments to bring rural hospitals in line with urban facilities.
“Our bill provides additional assistance for small, rural hospitals who have a low-volume of patients. Often, these hospitals have trouble making ends meet under the Medicare payment system.
“The R-HOPE bill provides a Capital Infrastructure Loan Program to make loans available to help rural facilities improve crumbling buildings and infrastructure. And, it extends two incentive programs aimed at improving the quality of care by attracting health care providers to Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“I am committed to getting the National Health Service Corps and Community Health Center reauthorization bill signed into law this year. It’s commonly known as the Health Centers Renewal Act or S. 901. This is commonsense legislation to provide much-needed health professional manpower and community health clinics to rural America.
“In November, I joined with my colleagues in getting this bill approved by the HELP Committee. We now need to get S. 901 approved by the Senate and House and ultimately across the finish line to the president’s desk. There is strong support in the Senate for this bill - in fact, we have 68 cosponsors.
“I am also looking forward to working with my colleagues on the HELP Committee to renew the Title 7 Health Professions Programs and the Title 8 Nursing Programs. The HELP Committee will be conducting a hearing on these important programs next month and then I look forward to working with all of you on legislation to renew these programs. I know these programs are critical for our rural communities.
“I also regularly hear from our beleaguered hospital administrators, home health providers, doctors, pharmacists and every other health provider in our rural communities who are fed up with the unnecessary and burdensome regulations coming out of the Washington Medicare office. I couldn’t agree more.
“I will spare you my usual CMS rant, but I have long had concerns that sometimes their outfit is more concerned with balancing the books rather than truly understanding the needs of our rural communities and issuing regulations and policies based on these needs. This is why I refer to them as the “bean counters”.
“However, while we may not agree on every issue, I do work with CMS quite often in my role on the Finance Committee and Rural Health Caucus. So, I look to all of you here today to keep me informed as problems arise and I will do my best to reason with CMS to help them understand how their actions are affecting our rural providers.
“We have a lot to do this year, but I look forward to working with all of you - the members of the National Rural Health Association - to making rural health legislation a reality.”
Last year, Senator Roberts was tapped by the Senate Republican Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to co-chair the Senate Rural Health Care Caucus after the passing of Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY). Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a member of the Senate Committee on Finance which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid.
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The following are key excerpts from the speech:
“In June, I was proud to join with Sen. Kent Conrad and Tom Harkin in introducing the Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act - S. 1605 - to honor Sen. Thomas. This legislation recognizes that rural health care providers have very different needs than their urban counterparts and that health care is not one size fits all. Passage of this legislation is the top Priority for the Senate Rural Health Caucus this year.
“The Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act - also known as the R-HOPE bill - makes changes to Medicare regulations for rural hospitals and providers recognizing the difficulty in achieving the same economies of scale as large urban facilities. Our legislation equalizes Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments to bring rural hospitals in line with urban facilities.
“Our bill provides additional assistance for small, rural hospitals who have a low-volume of patients. Often, these hospitals have trouble making ends meet under the Medicare payment system.
“The R-HOPE bill provides a Capital Infrastructure Loan Program to make loans available to help rural facilities improve crumbling buildings and infrastructure. And, it extends two incentive programs aimed at improving the quality of care by attracting health care providers to Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“I am committed to getting the National Health Service Corps and Community Health Center reauthorization bill signed into law this year. It’s commonly known as the Health Centers Renewal Act or S. 901. This is commonsense legislation to provide much-needed health professional manpower and community health clinics to rural America.
“In November, I joined with my colleagues in getting this bill approved by the HELP Committee. We now need to get S. 901 approved by the Senate and House and ultimately across the finish line to the president’s desk. There is strong support in the Senate for this bill - in fact, we have 68 cosponsors.
“I am also looking forward to working with my colleagues on the HELP Committee to renew the Title 7 Health Professions Programs and the Title 8 Nursing Programs. The HELP Committee will be conducting a hearing on these important programs next month and then I look forward to working with all of you on legislation to renew these programs. I know these programs are critical for our rural communities.
“I also regularly hear from our beleaguered hospital administrators, home health providers, doctors, pharmacists and every other health provider in our rural communities who are fed up with the unnecessary and burdensome regulations coming out of the Washington Medicare office. I couldn’t agree more.
“I will spare you my usual CMS rant, but I have long had concerns that sometimes their outfit is more concerned with balancing the books rather than truly understanding the needs of our rural communities and issuing regulations and policies based on these needs. This is why I refer to them as the “bean counters”.
“However, while we may not agree on every issue, I do work with CMS quite often in my role on the Finance Committee and Rural Health Caucus. So, I look to all of you here today to keep me informed as problems arise and I will do my best to reason with CMS to help them understand how their actions are affecting our rural providers.
“We have a lot to do this year, but I look forward to working with all of you - the members of the National Rural Health Association - to making rural health legislation a reality.”
Last year, Senator Roberts was tapped by the Senate Republican Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to co-chair the Senate Rural Health Care Caucus after the passing of Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY). Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a member of the Senate Committee on Finance which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid.
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