Rural Advocacy Action Center

Rural Health Care

Rural hospitals provide essential health care services to some 57 million people.  Because of their size, modest assets and financial reserves, and higher percentages of Medicare patients, small and rural hospitals disproportionately rely on government payments.

Please join us in reaching out to Congress on important legislation, learning more about key policy actions, and building public support for rural health care.. To join an AHA Advocacy Alliance on key issues go to www.aha.org/Alliances.

Use the links below to explore the 2020 Rural Advocacy Agenda and key aspects of rural health care advocacy.

 

 

Rural Leadership Summit 2020 banner

 

Small or Rural Hospital Constituency Section logo

Rural Advocacy Agenda 2024

Rural hospitals and health systems are committed to ensuring local access to high-quality, affordable health care. However, these hospitals continue to experience ongoing challenges that jeopardize their ability to provide local access to care and essential services. These include conti...

Current Advocacy Activity in Rural Health Care

Some 57 million rural Americans depend on their hospital as an important source of care as well as a critical component of their area's economic and social fabric. Location, size, workforce, payment and access to capital challenge small or rural hospitals and the communities they serve...

Regulatory Relief for Rural Health Care

There is growing frustration about the amount of time and resources being devoted to pushing paper—or its electronic version—versus spending time on care. The bottom line: patients have less time with their caregivers; they have unnecessary hurdles in receiving care; and the regulatory ...

Ensuring Access in Rural Communities

Vulnerable patient populations, including the poor, uninsured and those with multiple chronic conditions, have complex health needs exacerbated by social determinants such as food insecurity, unstable housing and lack of transportation. 2018 Rural Advocacy Agenda Report from the Tas...