Republican First District Congressman Jack Bergman is encouraging his colleagues to expand federal support for rural health providers.
Speaking on the House floor yesterday, Bergman cited the recent conversion of Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital into a rural health clinic, with no emergency services…
He also noted that a federal program put in place in 2020 to help rural hospitals maintain service neglected to include affected hospitals in a supplementary prescription drug program…
Bipartisan legislation proposed by Bergman and Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell from the Detroit area would correct that oversight, and provide additional support for struggling rural providers.
Here are Bergman’s full comments:
“Health care providers in areas like Michigan’s First District work every day to provide the best possible care for patients while overcoming struggles unlike anything facing those in urban or suburban regions. Unfortunately, we have seen a significant increase in rural provider closures, and many of those still operating today are doing so at the razor’s edge of financial stability.”
“In my own district, Ontonagon Aspirus Hospital ended all hospital and emergency room operations earlier this year and consolidated into a rural health clinic.
“In 2020, Congress took an important step to address this crisis by creating the ‘Rural Emergency Hospital,’ or REH designation. Under this designation, rural hospitals receive direct financial support – more than $3 million annually – and increased Medicare reimbursement in exchange for maintaining 24-hour emergency departments, as well as observation beds and other key health services.
“However, when Congress created the designation, REHs were not included as eligible facilities under the 340B drug discount program. 340B provides significant revenue for critical access hospitals and other rural providers, helping them improve access to prescription drugs and essential health services in underserved and underinsured areas.
“That is why I introduced H.R. 8144, the Rural 340B Access Act of 2024, along with my colleague from Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. This bipartisan bill will make a commonsense correction and include facilities under the Rural Emergency Hospital designation as eligible for 340B. This will further our work to stop rural hospital closures and ensure patients in rural and remote areas can continue to receive essential emergency care.”
Watch his full speech here.
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