Rural Hospitals Prep for 'March' on Washington

On Monday, rural hospital advocates will meet with Congressional staffers to discuss the status of the bill and other legislation that affects rural health. On Tuesday those advocates will fan out and meet with their respective Congressional delegations.

Practically speaking, SB 2620 would kick the MDH/LVH can down the road for another year. It's not clear if there is any momentum towards a longer-term fix. Perhaps extending MDH and LVH provisions will become an annual event in Congress, similar to the Sustainable Growth Rate sideshow that has become the bane of physicians' lobbies.

At this point in this toxic political environment, if money continues to flow, a short-term fix may be the best hope for rural hospitals. There are worse fates.