Health Reform
As the health reform continues to take shape, NRHA is working hard to ensure that rural concerns will not be left behind. We want to provide rural America with the access to health care that they deserve. Insurance coverage is vitally important to rural America, however, the real crisis is access to health care. NRHA's message is simple: health insurance coverage does not equal access.
If any health reform is going to be a success, the health care access crisis in rural America must first be resolved; because without access to quality medical care, insurance coverage means little.
For this reason, now more than ever it is crucial to remember that NRHA can't continue the fight to solve the rural access crisis without the strong support of our membership.
With bills in both houses of Congress and health reform moving forward, it is not more important than ever for your voice to be heard. Help rural America keep a seat at the table as the Senate and House continue to reform America's health care system.
Only with your help can NRHA continue to fight for legislation that finally addresses the long-standing inequities and disparities in rural America and that would begin to resolve the health care crisis by crafting legislation that would prevent the rural health care safety net from crumbling and delivering these two crucial reforms:
- Abatement of the workforce shortage crisis and
- Equity in reimbursement.
Join NRHA or Renew your membership now and help us continue the fight to resolve the health care crisis in rural America.
Health Care Reform News
Click Here to read an update of the day's health care reform news. Health Care Reform Documents
Rural Health Care Coalition Letter on Rural Medicare Extenders (RHCC - 2/24/2010)
President's Follow up to the Health Reform Summit (White House - 3/2/2010)
H.R. 4145 The American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010 (Senate - 3/2/2010)
Senate Bill:
Immediate Action Needed on Rural Medicare Extenders Coaltion Letter (NRHA)
H.R. 3590 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (United States Senate - introduced Nov 19)
Manager's Amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (United States Senate - December 19)
CBO Score for H.R. 3650 (Congressional Budget Office)
NRHA Analysis of the Postive Provisions in H.R. 3590 (NRHA Government Affairs - December 24)
NRHA Analysis of the Outstanding Rural Provisions in H.R. 3590 (NRHA Government Affairs)
NRHA Letter to Senate Leadership Urging the Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act in H.R. 3590 (NRHA Government Affairs)
House Bills:
H.R. 3962 The Affordable Healthcare for America Act (House of Representatives - introduced Oct 29)
NRHA Summary Analysis of H.R. 3962 (NRHA Government Affairs)
CBO Score for H.R. 3962 (New House Health Reform Bill)
House SGR Bill (House of Representatives)
Rural Provisions in H.R. 3962 (Please note: There is a typo in the very last sentence of the document - - the 340B drug program would be expanded to CAHs, Sole community Hospitals, Medicare Dependent Hospitals outpatient drug program, not inpatient.)
NRHA has prepared a number of documents to provide additional information on some of our policy priorities.
Independent Medicare Advisory Council:
NRHA Letter to Finance Members Baucus and Grassely Regarding IMAC
NRHA's Health Care Reform Priorities:
NRHA's Health Reform Priorities Summary
NRHA's Summary of H.R. 3200 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act
NRHA's Message to the Senate Finance Committee Regarding Medicare
Critical access hospital (CAH) concerns:
Certified registered nurse anesthetists
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
Workforce and graduate medical education
Outside Documents
House of Representatives Documents
H.R. 3200 America's Affordable Health Choices Act (House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees)
Congressional Budget Office Report on the House Tri-Committee Reform Bill (Congressional Budget Office)
Tri-Committee Summary of America's Afforadble Health Choices Act (House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor Committees)
Tri-Committee Changes from Discussion Draft of America's Affordable Health Choices Act (House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor Committees)
Tri-Committee Timeline for Heath Reform (House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor Committees)
Senate Documents
FULL TEXT OF S.1796 America's Health Future Act (Senate Finance Committee)
Senate Finance Committee Health Care Outline (Senate Finance Committee)
S.____ Affordable Health Choices Act (Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee)
Senate Help Committee Health Reform Press Release 7-15-2009 (Senate HELP Committee)
Senate HELP Committee Amendments (Senate HELP Committee)
You can make a difference in health care reform!
Join the NRHA Grassroots Team and participate in weekly strategy calls, receive news updates and serve as one of NRHA's key grassroots organizers. We send messages to Congress every week to address the urgent rural needs as they emerge. Your participation is vital to our work here in Washington, D.C.
To join the Grassroots Team, send a blank email to join-grassroots@lists.wisc.edu. You will then receive activation information in reply.
For other ways to get involved, visit the Grassroots Action Center.
More information about current health reform efforts, visit the News and Opinions page.
