The AHA today responded to a House Ways and Means Committee request for comments on priority topics as its Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force works to identify bipartisan policy options to improve care delivery and health outcomes in these communities. AHA urged the task force to promote policies that close the coverage gap and to remain focused on comprehensive coverage, including for behavioral health. It also recommended that Medicare cover telehealth for all services that are safe to provide and ensure adequate reimbursement for originating sites; maintain payment programs that support rural hospitals, including re-opening the necessary provider critical access hospital designation; continue to test new payment models that support payment certainty; and allow rural hospitals to provide emergency and observation services without inpatient services. In addition, AHA urged Congress to make funds available for hospitals to improve aging infrastructure and transform service lines; lift the cap on Medicare-funded residency slots and expand workforce programs to address health professional shortages; and consider the unique context of rural and underserved communities when it designs and implements quality improvement and reporting programs.

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA’s Next Generation Leaders Fellowship July 29 announced its 36 fellows for the class of 2026, who will each work with mentors to address a specific…
Chairperson's File
Public
The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act will bring big changes to health care. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack joined me for a Leadership Dialogue…
Headline
AHA Chair-elect Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist, and AHA Immediate-past Chair Joanne Conroy, M.D., president and CEO of Dartmouth…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 17 issued two letters to states regarding policies on continuous eligibility and workforce initiatives.…
Headline
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., July 15 introduced legislation that would repeal some of the Medicaid funding reductions included in the recently enacted One Big…
Headline
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today held a hearing to discuss legislative proposals on health care, including two AHA-supported bills…