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Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, have introduced the Rural Hospital Support Act (S.1110), AHA-supported legislation that would make permanent the Medicare-dependent Hospital program and enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for small rural prospective payment system hospitals. The bill also would allow MDHs and sole community hospitals to choose an additional base year when calculating their payments. 

“Rural hospitals are essential access points for care, economic anchors for communities and the backbone of our nation’s rural public health infrastructure,” AHA said in a letter of support for the bill. “These hospitals have maintained their commitment to ensuring local access to high-quality, affordable care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, in spite of unprecedented financial and workforce challenges over the last three years.”