No American should have to travel long distances to get to a hospital, especially in an emergency. But, as more hospitals are being swallowed up into hospital systems and profitability becomes a prime focus, rural hospitals are a dying breed. Now, David Muioio reports for FierceHealthcare that 14 Senators from rural states are asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, the agency that oversees Medicare, to increase payments to rural hospitals.
The money is there. All CMS really needs to do is move some of the billions in excess payments from Medicare Advantage plans into these rural hospitals. As it is, CMS is paying the Medicare Advantage plans to cover care in rural hospitals, and the Medicare Advantage plans too often are delaying and denying payments to these hospitals to maximize their own profits.
There has been a policy in place since 2019 to help hospitals with low wages, which are generally rural hospitals. The policy has helped hundreds of hospitals in 23 states. The policy was intended to address disparities between hospitals providing care in low-wage areas and those providing care in high-wage areas. And, the policy helps ensure that rural residents have access to the care they need.
The Senators say in their letter to CMS that this policy has been a “valuable lifeline” for low-wage hospitals. But, it is set to sunset this year at the end of September. The Senators are requesting a four-year extension.
As it is, pandemic funds to rural hospitals are drying up. And, the data suggests that rural hospitals are at great risk of closing this year. If CMS continues the policy, low-wage hospitals will be able to bring on needed staff, ensuring that residents in their communities can continue to use their services.
Which senators are asking for the money? Mark Warner, D-Virginia; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee; Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama; Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia; John Boozman, R-Arkansas; Shelly Moore Capito, R-West Virginia; Bill Hagerty, R-Tennessee; James Lankford, R-Oklahoma; Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi; Tim Scott, R-South Carolina; Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas; and Katie Boyd Britt, R-Alabama.
Congress has already helped rural hospitals a bit through some higher Medicare payments last year. Rural hospitals can also get a five percent increase in reimbursement for outpatient services if, among other things, they continue their emergency rooms, through a Rural Emergency Hospital designation. But, it is not clear whether the bump is worth the conditions.
Here’s more from Just Care:
Leave a Reply