Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Honor Rural Hospitals During Rural Hospital Week

Reps. Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Tom Reed (NY-23), and Glenn Thompson (PA-05) recently submitted statements to the Congressional Record recognizing the importance of our country’s rural hospitals from coast to coast.

As Rep. Thompson makes clear in his statement, “It is a time to promote awareness of the full range of issues that impact approximately 60 million rural Americans.” He continues, “For those in rural regions, the need is great and services are scarce.”

Rep. Bustos highlights the important role rural hospitals play in the lives of Americans who live in rural areas and rely on their services. “Our doctors, nurses, and other rural hospital employees work tirelessly to help patients overcome many of the health care challenges they face on a daily basis, including limited access to primary care providers and specialists.”

Seeking to help overcome these challenges, Congresswoman Bustos introduced legislation to expand broadband access and remove barriers to telehealth. The Special Registration for Telemedicine Clarification Act was signed into law on October 24^th, 2018.

But rural hospitals aren’t just healing patients, they are contributing to the success of small towns across the United States. Rep. Reed explains that “hospitals account for 14 percent of total rural employment nationwide. In this way, rural hospitals keep not just their patients healthy, but the economies of their local communities as well.”

You can read the entirety of Rep. Bustos’ letter here, Rep. Reed’s letter here, and Rep. Thompson’s letter here.

The Federation of American Hospitals thanks Reps. Bustos, Reed, and Thompson for standing up for rural hospitals and the patients they serve during Rural Hospital Week.

FAH Hospital Policy Blog