What They’re Saying: Rep. Green Continues to Fight for Rural Communities
Last week, Rep. Mark Green introduced two bills to address the problems facing rural healthcare. The Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025 targets rural hospital closures by removing arbitrary federal guidelines that limit the use of the Critical Access Hospital designation. The Rural ER Access Act repeals a federal regulation that prohibits free-standing hospital departments from operating more than 35 miles from a hospital with the intent to expand free-standing emergency departments. Free-standing ERs serve rural communities that are desperately in need of care.
What They’re Saying…
“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) commends Representative Green for introducing the Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025, a critical step toward ensuring rural communities can designate facilities as critical access hospitals without mileage limitations. This legislation will provide rural areas the flexibility needed to enhance health care accessibility and maintain essential services. NRHA looks forward to collaborating with Congress to strengthen rural health care infrastructure.” -Alan Morgan, CEO of The National Rural Health Association
“Rural hospitals across Tennessee continue to face financial challenges, with some at risk of closure. The Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation allows small rural hospitals to receive cost-based Medicare reimbursement, which can help sustain services in the community. Unfortunately, several rural hospitals across Tennessee are unable to obtain CAH designation due to the mileage requirement. THA appreciates Congressman Green’s leadership on the Rural Healthcare Access Act which could enable more rural hospitals to qualify for vital CAH benefits allowing them to continue to care for patients in their community.” -Dr. Wendy Long, President and CEO of the Tennessee Hospital Association
“Rural emergency departments (EDs) are the health care safety net for some of our country’s most vulnerable and underserved communities, providing 24/7/365 access to lifesaving care for 60 million people in the U.S. These EDs operate under growing strain as they face critical shortages of qualified medical staff with limited resources and the ever-present threat of closures. ACEP is grateful for Representative Green’s leadership, as a legislator and an emergency medicine colleague, in introducing the Rural Health Care Access Act and the Rural ER Access Act. These bills will help stabilize and preserve access to rural emergency care, ensuring that our patients can get the care they need and deserve, no matter where they reside.” -Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians
“Tennessee has lost 17 hospitals since 2010 including four since the start of the pandemic in 2020. 75% of the remaining rural hospitals are in financial trouble. When tragedy strikes physicians have the most impact during the first golden hour. Many Tennesseans who live in our beautiful rural areas travel far distances to seek care in the already overburdened city hospitals. Every shift, I treat someone who has traveled over an hour for their care. No matter where you live in Tennessee, fewer hospitals statewide leads to increased wait times in the remaining emergency departments. Any resources or innovative designs to make our state's hospitals more stable are welcome and necessary for the health of all Tennesseans.” -Stanton Elseroad, MD, MBA, FACEP, President of the Tennessee College of Emergency Physicians
You can read more about Rep. Green’s Rural Healthcare Access Act and Rural ER Access Act here.
You can read Rep. Green’s testimony before the Ways and Means Committee here. You can also read more about the bills in Nancy Vu’s Bloomberg exclusive or in the Nashville Standard. You can also read about the legislation from the Tennessee Star, Clarksville Online, or the Washington Examiner.
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