2023
January 17, 2023 – Axios article on cuts to hospital obstetrics highlights the negative impacts on rural hospitals, further demonstrating the need for reimbursement stability and predictability so that rural hospitals can continue to offer vital services such as maternity care | Read the Article
2022
June 17, 2022 – Lawmakers send FY 2023 IPPS comment letter to CMS on impact of annual MS-DRG changes on rural hospitals | Read the Comment
May 2022 – Bipartisan Policy Center releases report on the impact of COVID-19 on the rural health landscape | Read the Report
2021
September 30, 2021 – KHN article on COVID-19 death rate in rural America demonstrates continued divide between rural and urban populations with respect to access to care and health outcomes | Read the Article
September 2021 – New data brief from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics shows that death rates were higher in rural areas than in urban areas from 1999-2019 | Read the Data Brief
2020
September 2020 – HHS releases Rural Action Plan | Read the Plan
August 31, 2020 – HHS, FCC and USDA issue a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Rural Telehealth Initiative | Read the Memorandum
August 22, 2020 – NPR Report: Rural Hospitals are Sinking Under COVID-19 Financial Pressures | Read the Report
June/July 2020 – Lawmakers introduce Coalition-backed legislation to support rural hospitals. | Read the Bill and Press Release
April 2020 – Bipartisan Policy Center releases report: Confronting Rural America’s Health Care Crisis | Read the Report
March 13, 2020 – Lawmakers send letter to CMS on MS-DRG classification system and its impact on rural hospitals | Read the Letter
2019
May 14, 2019 – Kaiser Health News article on rural hospital closure | Read the Article
May 11, 2019 – “Who’s going to take care of these people?” — Washington Post article on rural hospital closures | Read the Article
May 5, 2019 – Minnesota’s Star Tribune article on the state of rural hospitals in Minnesota | Read the Article
April 10, 2019 – NBC News video segment: Rural hospitals are closing — what now? | Watch the Video
April 10, 2019 – Kaiser Health News publishes article on rural hospital closures — Economic Ripples: Hospital Closure Hurts A Town’s Ability To Attract Retirees | Read the Article
March 10, 2019 – CBS Sunday Morning airs compelling segment on rural hospital closures and their negative impact on access to health care in rural America | Watch the Video
February 2019 – Navigant publishes report on rural hospitals, with new data showing worsening situation for rural hospitals | Read the Report