Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rural Hospitals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves Save Rural Hospital Act targeting hospitals with fewer than 50 beds
Summary
House Bill 173, the Save Rural Hospital Act, was approved unanimously by the Insurance Committee and sent to Finance and Ways and Means; the sponsor said the bill would target reimbursement changes for rural hospitals with 49 or fewer beds.
The House Insurance Committee approved House Bill 173 and sent it to the Finance and Ways and Means Committee after a brief explanation by the bill sponsor, Representative Martin.
Martin described the bill as the "Save Rural Hospital Act," saying it targets rural hospitals and would allow rural-hospital reimbursement rates to move toward break‑even levels used in urban settings. "This would just allow rural hospital reimbursement rates to... get to the break even point," Martin said, adding the bill would apply to hospitals operating with no more than 49 beds in a rural area.
Representative Draper called the question, and the committee voted. The clerk recorded 14 ayes, 0 nays. House Bill 173 will proceed to Finance and Ways and Means for fiscal consideration.
The discussion on the bill at the Insurance Committee level was brief and focused on the 49-bed threshold in the bill's definition of "rural hospital." Committee members asked for clarification of that definition; the sponsor pointed to the statutory language in the bill that defines a rural hospital as one with no more than 49 beds operating in a rural area.
There were no amendments offered and no extended public testimony on this item during the Insurance Committee session.
