Hawley Introduces Rural ER Bill With $1 Million Annual Guarantee as 200 Hospitals Have Closed
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 24
Hawley Introduces Rural ER Bill With $1 Million Annual Guarantee as 200 Hospitals Have Closed
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 24
Summary
Josh Hawley on Wednesday unveiled the Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, which would give eligible rural hospitals a guaranteed $1 million a year for 10 years to keep emergency rooms operating.
The bill targets a worsening access crisis: nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2005, and some residents now drive an hour or more for emergency care.
Missouri is a focal point for Hawley’s push, with 12 rural hospitals with emergency rooms closed since 2014; nearly half of the state’s rural hospitals operate at a loss and 10 face immediate closure risk.
Participating hospitals could also receive a one-time emergency payment of up to $250,000, with quarterly distributions indexed for inflation and no loss of eligibility for other federal healthcare programs.
The proposal lands alongside the Trump administration’s broader $50 billion rural healthcare plan, which FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said aims to expand price transparency and lower drug costs.