Critical Access Hospital Relief Act Gains Support
Legislation introduced by Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) is gaining support on Capitol Hill and across the country. The Critical Access Hospital Relief Act is now backed by a broad coalition of Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate, and by the American Hospital Association.
“The growing support for this legislation is a reflection of the burden the 96-hour rule would place on small, rural health care facilities,” said Congressman Smith. “We need to repeal this unnecessary rule to allow rural providers to focus on treating their patients instead of complying with arbitrary regulations. I appreciate the positive response to this bill, and I am committed to advancing this needed reform.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced it would begin enforcing the ‘96-hour rule’ on small, remote facilities known as Critical Access Hospitals. This arbitrary rule requires physicians at rural hospitals to certify Medicare and Medicaid patients will not be at the hospital for more than 96 hours. Otherwise, the hospital must transfer the patient to a more distant facility at the cost of taxpayers, or face non-reimbursement.
There are 65 Critical Access Hospitals in Nebraska, including 55 in the Third District alone.
Congressman Smith introduced the H.R. 3991, the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act to repeal the 96-hour rule on February 5, 2014. The legislation now has 34 bipartisan cosponsors in the House.
The legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate on February 24, 2014 by Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). S.2037, the Senate version of the bill is now supported by 16 bipartisan cosponsors including Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE).
The American Hospital Association (AHA) also has endorsed the bill. In a letter to Congressman Smith, Rick Pollack, Executive Vice President for the AHA wrote, “On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and our 43,000 individual members, the American Hospital Association is pleased to support the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act (H.R.3991).”