NARHC is very pleased to announce that the Rural Health Clinic Burden Reduction Act was introduced in the Senate today by Senators John Barrasso (WY), Tina Smith (MN), Marsha Blackburn (TN), and Michael Bennet (CO).
This regulatory relief bill contains 5 important provisions, intended to modernize RHC program policies to make them more reflective of the changing healthcare landscape.
- Modernizes RHC physician supervision requirements by aligning them to state scope of practice laws governing PA and NP practice.
- Removes the requirement that RHCs must “directly provide” certain lab services on site and allows RHCs to instead offer “prompt access” to these services.
- Allows RHCs the flexibility to contract with or employ PAs and NPs.
- Maintains status quo location eligibility, allowing RHCs to be located in an area that is not in an urban area of 50,000 or more, given that the Census Bureau no longer utilizes the term “urbanized area.”
- Allows RHCs to provide increased behavioral health services when located in a mental health-HPSA.
We sincerely thank our rural champions in Congress for their continued leadership on these important RHC issues. As an RHC community, our work is just beginning!
Next, we will focus on generating support and co-sponsors in the Senate, and we are currently working hard to get an identical bill introduced in the House of Representatives.
To continue this momentum, we need your help! We strongly encourage you to reach out to your Senators and Representatives, sharing your support for this bill and how it will benefit your RHCs, ultimately asking them to co-sponsor the legislation. In the coming weeks, NARHC will be providing template letters and other advocacy options.
Please contact Sarah.Hohman@narhc.org if NARHC can assist you in contacting your Congressional offices to advocate for this legislation. As always, please stay up to date on key RHC news on NARHC.org.
Sincerely,
National Association of Rural Health Clinics