Senate approves nearly $13 billion rural health bill

The Senate has passed the Health Care Safety Net Act, which provides $12.9 billion dollars for rural and medically underserved areas. The act reauthorizes and strengthens three programs: the Public Health Service Act, which provides additional funding for community health centers; the National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and loan repayments to clinicians that work in health professional shortage areas; and Title III Rural Health Programs, which help coordinate care in rural areas.