VIDEO: Rural Hospital Relief Bill with Smith Language Passes House

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 5613, sponsored by Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), to delay enforcement of supervision requirements on Critical Access Hospitals. The bill, which passed the House today, contains Smith’s language requiring the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to report on the economic and staffing impacts of these regulations on rural hospitals.

Physician supervision rules require a physician’s presence and supervision over nearly all routine procedures administered in hospitals, which can be especially burdensome for rural hospitals with fewer doctors and resources.



Smith’s remarks:

Thank you. I rise today in support of H.R. 5613 to once again delay enforcement of supervision requirements on Critical Access Hospitals.

It has unfortunately become an annual ritual for us to pass legislation to block this arbitrary regulation, which requires a physician to be on-site and present for the administration of most procedures, no matter how basic.

As a condition of participation in the Critical Access program, a facility must have 25 or fewer beds, be distant from the next-closest hospital, and have a physician on call and available within 30 minutes.

The individuals who practice at these facilities, including doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, have a very strong understanding of what care can be safely provided in their Critical Access setting and which cases should be transferred to a larger facility.

However, CMS’s effort to accommodate the concerns of rural providers hasn’t been to empower these professionals, but to create a limited list of procedures which can be done without a physician on-site.

For this reason, I appreciate the Chairman and the sponsor from Kansas working with me to incorporate my language into this bill, which requires MedPAC to report on the economic and staffing impacts of these regulations on rural hospitals.

Based on discussions I have had with hospitals across Nebraska’s Third District, I expect MedPAC’s findings will make a strong case for repealing this regulation outright.

I urge passage of this bill, which is vital to communities across rural America, and I yield back my time.