Support Rural Medicare Extenders in Funding Bill

February 1, 2018

MEMORANDUM

Urge Your Representative to Support Rural Medicare Extenders In Funding Bill

On Feb. 8, funding for the federal government is set to expire. House and Senate leaders are working on a long-term spending deal to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year, but may have to pass another more short-term continuing resolution to allow time for negotiations.

Meanwhile, funding for the Medicare-dependent Hospital and enhanced Low-volume Adjustment programs expired on Sept. 30, 2017.  It is critical that Congress extend these programs in the next spending bill.  The Rural Hospital Access Act (H.R. 1955/S. 872) has been introduced in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate and would make these programs permanent if enacted into law.

Action requested: Contact or meet with your member of Congress and ask them to support extending the Medicare-dependent Hospital and Low-volume Adjustment programs in the next spending bill.

To help support your advocacy efforts, see a fact sheet on the Rural Medicare Extenders, including the Medicare-dependent Hospital and Low-volume Adjustment programs. Also see IHA’s letter to the Illinois Congressional Delegation.