Rural Health Policy Update
September 2024Update provided by Andrew Coats, NOSORH Legislative Liaison
Appropriations Update:
Congress returns to DC on September 9 following a five-week hiatus. Upon returning, they will have three weeks to agree to a continuing resolution (CR) on FY 2025 spending. The House plans to vote on a CR bill next week that would fund federal agencies through February of 2025. Given various policy riders expected to be included in the House bill, Senate Democrats will oppose the measure. Ultimately, that gives Congress 1-2 weeks to pass a more straightforward CR that will keep federal programs funded at FY 2024 levels through the election.
Below are the FY 25 funding levels for rural health programs that have advanced out of the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Committees.
Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program
- House FY 2025: $74,277,000 of that amount, $25,942,000 for the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)
- Senate FY 2025: $64,277,000 of that amount, $40,942,000 for SHIP
- FY 2024 enacted: $64,277,000
State Offices of Rural Health grant program
- House FY 2025: $13,500,000
- Senate FY 2025: $14,500,000
- FY 2024 enacted: $12,500,000
Rural Residency Planning and Development
- House FY 2025: $14,000,000
- Senate FY 2025: $14,000,000
- FY 2024 enacted: $12,700,000
Rural Communities Opioids Response Program
- House FY 2025: $145,000,000
- Senate FY 2025: $155,000,000
- FY 2024 enacted: $145,000,000
Authorization Update: During August, NOSORH provided a briefing for the House Rural Health Caucus. NOSORH used the briefing to urge Congress to take up bills reauthorizing rural health programs important to NOSORH. NOSORH was also busy throughout the month meeting with House and Senate offices on draft bills NOSORH is looking to introduce this fall.
Flex: NOSORH met with various Senate offices about reauthorizing the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Work continues with members in the House and Senate to introduce a bipartisan-bicameral bill.
RCORP: NOSORH continues to lead a House-Senate bipartisan working group on legislation to authorize the Rural Communities Opioids Response Program (RCORP). Look for RCORP legislation to be introduced this fall.