WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) grant program, which will help equip rural communities with the resources they need to strengthen rural health care delivery systems and improve access to high quality services for individuals living in rural and underserved areas. 

“Our rural communities face unique needs and often immense hurdles in regards to continuing to provide top-notch care,” said Roberts. “The State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act recognizes that rural health care providers have very different needs than their urban counterparts. With this reauthorization, we maintain our commitment to ensuring these providers are equipped with the resources and technical assistance they need to help Kansas rural and medically-underserved communities in building sustainable access to quality, patient-centered health care services.” 

“Rural communities like North Dakota’s face unique challenges in accessing quality, affordable health care,” Heitkamp said. “Our bill gives State Offices of Rural Health the support they need to help strengthen our health care system and ensure those who need care the most aren’t left behind. Every day I come to work in the U.S. Senate fighting for rural America, and this is a bipartisan plan to develop long-term solutions to rural health problems that would impact North Dakotans across our state.” 

The State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018, S. 2278, helps provide rural communities with the resources they need to strengthen the rural health delivery system and improve access to quality care for citizens in these areas. All 50 states have state offices of rural health (SORHs) that serve an essential role in assisting and providing resources for rural health care providers. 

The National Rural Health Association offered their support for the legislation saying, “State Offices of Rural Health help provide rural communities with critical resources to improve rural health care and expand access to quality, affordable care for individuals in rural communities. This legislation, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2017, will allow these crucial offices to continue operating through 2022.” The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has also endorsed the legislation. 

Members of the Rural Health Caucus have introduced similar legislation in the previous Congresses. The bill was cosponsored by Sens. Baldwin (D-Wis.), Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Casey (D-Pa.), and Grassley (R-Iowa).

For full text of the legislation, go here.

# # #