fah hospital policy blog

What would a Medicare public option do to rural hospitals? A new study released today says more than half could be at high risk of closure if a Medicare public option becomes a reality.

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

When you hear rural community you think small town, but add up the population of these areas across the country and it equals nearly 60 million people, or one in five Americans. At the heart of many of those communities is the local hospital. The most obvious benefit – they provide timely, quality care, but these facilities are also often the financial backbone in the areas they serve. And speaking of service, hospital employees not only save lives, they improve them. Their reach extends past the four walls of the hospitals as they act as coaches, volunteers, and leaders in community organizations.

From helping in the halls of the hospital to making contributions in their community, rural areas depend on hospital heroes every day. These folks are nurses, techs and CEOs, but they are also volunteers, coaches and even quilters. They don’t ask for attention, but we think they deserve our gratitude. This Rural Hospital Week the FAH is shining a light on people who work in health care and continue to serve their community once they leave the hospital.