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 Beautiful Bill Act. Specifically, the Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act would repeal provider tax and state directed payment provisions within the OBBBA.

“Your legislation strikes these two sections to mitigate the impact of Medicaid reductions on hospitals and health systems and allow them to continue to serve their patients and communities,” AHA said today in a letter to Hawley expressing support for his legislation.  

Hawley’s bill also would double funding for the Rural Health Transformation Fund from $50 billion to $100 billion and extend the duration of the fund from five to 10 years. The Rural Health Transformation Fund was established as part of the OBBBA.

Related News Articles

Headline
Applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program are due Nov. 5 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The program will fund $50 billion…
Headline
A JAMA study published yesterday analyzed the health characteristics of individuals projected to lose Medicaid coverage due to work requirements included in…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sept. 30 released guidance to states clarifying its interpretation of a provision that…
Headline
States have until Sept. 30 to submit an optional letter of intent to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services indicating they plan to apply to the…
Headline
Susan Doherty, AHA’s vice president of field engagement, and Rebecca Chickey, AHA’s senior director of behavioral health services, write on the unique ways…
Blog
This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023, the latest year for which data was…