Several Ways & Means Committee Members question MedPAC findings
At a U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health hearing today on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), several members of Congress expressed bipartisan concern on rural health issues and beneficiary access to care, in light of the 55 rural hospitals that have closed and 283 other rural hospitals on the brink of closure. During the hearing, Dr. Mark Miller, the executive director of MedPAC, was questioned by Reps. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), Ron Kind (D-WI), Adrian Smith (R-NE) Diane Black (R-TN) and Kristin Noem (R-SD) about MEDPAC’s findings on rural health. Rep. Jenkins raised many critical questions about the rural hospital closures, and cited the National Rural Health Association’s report by iVantage that 283 hospitals are on the brink of closure and the effect more closures would have on rural Americans’ access to care. NRHA applauds our rural champions for standing up for rural health care and asks all members of Congress to protect rural Americans access to health care. The Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health will hold another hearing on Tuesday, July 28 to discuss rural health care disparities. Continue to monitor this blog for the latest news.