THE AHA AND THE IOWA HOSPITAL ASSOCATION PRESENT SENATOR GRASSLEY WITH THE HEALTH CARE CHAMPION AWARD
Des Moines, Iowa (October 11, 2012) - The American Hospital Association (AHA) and Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) today presented Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) the Health Care Champion Award for his outstanding contributions to health care public policy.
"This award recognizes Senator Grassley for his leadership in helping to strengthen rural hospitals," said Rich Umbdenstock, AHA's president and CEO. "He is very cognizant of the key role that rural hospitals play in providing and maintain access to health care in rural America."
During his tenure as chairman, ranking member, and a current member of the Committee on Finance, Senator Grassley has always made sure that rural hospitals had the resources necessary to provide patients with the right care in the right setting. He helped to create, expand and improve programs for the most isolated rural hospitals whose size and patient fluctuations make it hard for them to remain financially viable, and is currently working to continue the important Medicare Dependent Hospital program. Senator Grassley also led the effort to ban physicians from referring Medicare patients to specialty hospitals where those physicians have an ownership interest.
The award was presented at the Iowa Hospital Association's annual meeting.
"Iowa's hospitals appreciate the years of leadership and advocacy provided by Senator Grassley," said Kirk Norris, president and CEO of IHA. "He understands the complex relationship between the federal government and health care providers, particularly those in rural areas, and he is a knowledgeable and fair arbiter when it comes to health care policy questions."
Senator Grassley is a member of the following committees: Judiciary, Finance, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Budget and Taxation.
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About the AHA
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include almost 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks and other providers of care and 42,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information visit the Web site at www.aha.org.
About the IHA
The Iowa Hospital Association is a voluntary membership organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government and consumer audiences. All 118 community hospitals in Iowa, with more than 70,000 employees and a $6.2 billion impact on the state's economy, are IHA members.
