Senators Hassan, Barrasso, Cortez Masto, and Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Rural Hospitals

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Rural Hospital Flexibility Act, which would permanently reauthorize and modernize the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. This program provides states with funding to support rural hospitals through training, technical support, and equipment for improving health care for patients, including emergency medical care.

The program supports Critical Access Hospitals – small, rural hospitals that have fewer than 25 beds and are located either more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or more than 15 miles in areas with mountainous terrain or only secondary roads. New Hampshire has 13 Critical Access Hospitals located throughout the state.

“It is crucial that we continue to support our rural hospitals so that all Granite Staters can have access to high-quality, affordable health care,” said Senator Hassan. “The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program has helped hospitals in New Hampshire improve the health care that patients receive, and I will work with my colleagues to pass this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to renew and modernize these grants so that New Hampshire’s rural hospitals have the support, training, and equipment to provide the best possible care.”

“Wyoming’s rural hospitals understand best what their patients and communities need. The Rural Flex program gives them the flexibility they need to keep their doors open,” said Senator Barrasso. “Rural hospitals use this vital program to provide specialized staff training, update technological equipment, and improve the quality of care for patients. Our legislation will help free America’s rural hospitals from one-size-fits-all Washington regulations.”

“Every Nevadan needs access to quality health care, no matter where they live. That’s why we must reauthorize the Rural Hospital Flex Program, which delivers vital funding and technical resources to help critical access hospitals improve the rural health care system,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll never stop fighting to keep communities in every corner of the Silver State healthy.”

“For over 25 years, the FLEX program has been instrumental in supporting rural hospitals and healthcare providers, ensuring access to quality care for millions of Americans,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Reauthorization Act would build on this legacy by modernizing the program to support quality improvement, behavioral health services, telehealth, and innovative care models. This reauthorization reflects our commitment to ensuring that rural hospitals and clinics can continue to serve as lifelines for their communities, providing high-quality, sustainable care well into the future.”

“The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is happy to see support for such a crucial program serving rural states. The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program (FLEX) supports Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Health Clinics, which are integral parts of the healthcare infrastructure in rural areas. This funding helps improve access to and the quality of much needed clinical services leading to better patient outcomes in rural New Hampshire,” said the New Hampshire Office for Rural Health.

“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) thanks Senators Hassan, Barrasso, Cortez Masto, and Blackburn for their efforts to reauthorize the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program. Flex is instrumental in serving critical access hospitals across the country and ensuring they are able to support the health needs of their communities. We appreciate the Senators’ continued dedication to supporting rural health care,”  said Alan Morgan, CEO of The National Rural Health Association.

“The FLEX program is crucial for our State Office of Rural Health, as it enables us to support Tennessee’s Critical Access Hospitals with essential resources (including training and funding) to improve healthcare access, strengthen operations, and sustain vital healthcare services in rural communities,” said Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health.  

Senator Hassan has worked to improve rural health care. Earlier this year she introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to maternal health care and provide support for rural health care facilities. Following a large cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Senator Hassan successfully pushed the company to increase assistance to rural hospitals that were affected by the attack.

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