Legislation would extend Rural Community Hospital Demonstration

Rep. Don Young (R-AK) introduced late yesterday the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act (H.R. 672), AHA-supported legislation that would extend the demonstration for five years. The program enables rural hospitals with fewer than 51 acute-care beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Currently, 23 small rural hospitals participate. “By extending the demonstration for five more years, your legislation will ensure that RCH continues to help America’s communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need,” wrote AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack in a letter of support. The program was created by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 and extended by the Affordable Care Act.