WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-D) and Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-R) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Don Wright to permanently prevent Medicare’s enforcement of unreasonable and inflexible direct supervision rules for outpatient therapy services at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small, rural hospitals. The bipartisan letter was signed by 54 other members of the House of Representatives.
“We must keep fighting to ensure all Iowans have access to high-quality health care no matter where they live,” said Loebsack. “Critical Access Hospitals play an important role in rural communities by providing access to primary, emergency, and acute care services. I have visited CAHs across the state that have struggled to meet the direct supervision requirement. I am proud to continue working with Rep. Jenkins on a bipartisan basis to permanently extend this rule to provide CAHs with certainty that they deserve.”
“Critical Access Hospitals and small hospitals are the lifeblood of rural communities,” said Congresswoman Jenkins. “Permanently preventing the “direct supervision” rule will help CAHs and other rural hospitals plan for the future and focus more on their patients. I will continue working to repeal burdensome regulations on our rural and critical access hospitals to ensure their continued presence and vitality throughout Kansas.”
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