Terri Sewell cosponsors bill reauthoring program to support rural hospitals

Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) has cosponsored a bill with Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) to reauthorize and "modify" a program to provide funding for Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) in rural areas. 

The bill, titled The Rural Hospital Flexibility Act of 2024, reauthorizes the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program.

“At a time when Alabama’s rural hospitals are facing enormous financial challenges, we must do all we can to ensure that patients in rural communities can access the lifesaving services they need,” said Sewell.

“Reauthorizing the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program will help Critical Access Hospitals in Alabama keep their doors open and improve the quality of care they deliver to patients. I thank Congresswoman Miller for her partnership and urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation.”

According to an announcement there are six CAHs in Alabama, with two of them located in the Black Belt. These are Medical Center Barbour in Eufaula and Ochsner Choctaw General Hospital in Butler County.

"CAHs are hospitals located in rural areas that hold 25 inpatient beds and are either more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or more than 15 miles in mountainous terrains or only secondary roads," the announcement states.

"The Rural Hospital Flexibility Program permits states to use funds that support CAHs through training, providing technical aid, and increasing access to high quality health care services in rural communities to help strengthen the rural health care system."

See a text of the bill here.