Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jake LaTurner (KS-02) introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act in the House of Representatives. The legislation aims to support rural hospitals in Kansas by allowing previously closed hospitals to re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, provided they meet all eligibility requirements. Senator Jerry Moran has introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate.
In a statement, Rep. LaTurner emphasized the importance of expanding access to healthcare in rural communities, stating, "Expanding access to affordable and quality health care is vital to strengthening our rural communities in Kansas. I am proud to introduce the Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act to give rural hospitals the opportunity to continue serving Kansans by re-opening their emergency and outpatient operations."
The Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation allows certain hospitals to transition to a new Medicare provider designation, enabling them to continue operating with limited services instead of facing closure. Currently, hospitals are only eligible for this designation if they met the requirements at the time the legislation was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020.
The proposed Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act seeks to extend the eligibility date back to Jan. 1, 2015, specifically benefiting hospitals that were either critical access hospitals or rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds. This extension would provide a lifeline for rural hospitals that have struggled to maintain operations and continue serving their communities.
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