As the United States witnesses a surge in COVID-19 cases, it's vital for politicians to pass legislation that supports hospitals and health systems during and after the pandemic.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) took steps to lock $10 billion in emergency relief funds to focus on rural hospitals and the Vice President of American Hospital Association, Tom Nickels, believes more federal support needs to happen and it needs to happen immediately.
"The COVID-19 public health emergency has wreaked havoc on our country and placed a tremendous strain on hospitals and health systems," Nickels wrote on the American Hospital Association website. "The AHA has estimated over $320 billion in losses for hospitals and health systems from the start of the pandemic through the end of 2020. The frightening reality is those losses will likely continue into 2021 as COVID-19 cases increase during the winter months. And we know rural hospitals are among our most vulnerable because of systemic challenges you’ve faced for years."
Rural hospitals specifically have faced challenges in 2020, and Nickels applauded those hospitals stating, "your resourcefulness and innovative spirit have stood out as you’ve adapted to preserve access to care in your communities."
Priorities for the next COVID-19 relief package are: More money for the provider relief fund, federal liability protections, front-line worker support, health care coverage for uninsured and accelerated payment forgiveness.
Targeted rural policies that are being prioritized are: Increased bed capacity in rural areas, removing the 96-hour condition of payment, and flexible rural health clinic productivity standards during an emergency.
A separate rural package will prioritize creating a rural emergency hospital designation under medicare, reopening necessary provider designation and extending rural demos. One demo they want to extend is the Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Act. The RCH demonstration tests cost reimbursement for rural hospital inpatient services that have less than 51 acute-care beds and are providing 24-hour emergency care services.
