Hinds Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi has introduced the 'Rural Health Sustainability Act' aimed at expanding access to emergency healthcare services in rural areas across the United States. The bill seeks to broaden the eligibility criteria for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, allowing more at-risk or closed hospitals to qualify.

Hyde-Smith emphasized the importance of the legislation by stating, "People who live and work in rural areas need basic emergency health services, but too many rural hospitals are in danger of closing or have already closed." She further highlighted the need to extend the qualifying date to 2014, recognizing the longstanding rural health crisis predating recent years.

The proposed Rural Health Sustainability Act intends to make significant changes to the current REH designation criteria, particularly by extending eligibility to hospitals based on the definition of "rural" as determined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Rural Health Policy. Hyde-Smith pointed out instances where hospitals like Magee General Hospital in Mississippi were wrongly categorized as urban, hindering their access to REH designation.

Gregg Gibbes, CEO of Magee General Hospital, expressed gratitude towards Senator Hyde-Smith for addressing barriers faced by small rural hospitals, stating, "The current pathway for hospitals to convert to REH is too narrow, and I think that’s absolutely the reason why so few exist." He advocated for aligning the REH language with the Office of Rural Health Policy to better serve rural communities.

Support for the Rural Health Sustainability Act has been voiced by various organizations, including the National Rural Health Association, Mississippi Hospital Association, and Mississippi Rural Health Association. Chad Netterville from the Mississippi Hospital Association commended the efforts to expand access to REH designation, while Ryan Kelly of the Mississippi Rural Health Association highlighted the need for administrative changes to enable more facilities to convert to REH and cater effectively to rural communities.