Southeast Missouri Congressman Jason Smith says he wants to save the nation’s rural hospitals at risk of closing. He is proposing to let the U.S. Health and Human Services Department secretary forgive all Medicare accelerated payments for rural hospitals experiencing severe money problems. His legislation would also extend the timeline for hospital repayment or lower the payment interest rate if there is a serious chance of closure, bankruptcy, large-scale layoffs, or any other situation the secretary deems appropriate.
Smith, a Republican from Salem, represents 30 counties across southern Missouri. According to data from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Missouri has had seven hospitals shut their doors since 2014 – five are in Smith’s district.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill data shows 18 rural hospitals closed last year. So far this year, 12 have called it quits.
The plan also requires HHS to decide within 30 days of receiving a request from a hospital experiencing hardship.
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