WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Rural Health Coalition, introduced H.R. 3859, the Rural Hospital and Provider Equity (R-HOPE) Act of 2012 on Wednesday.

This bipartisan bill would help rural communities meet the challenge of providing access to high-quality, affordable health care.

“The quality of health care you receive should not depend on whether you’re from a big city or small town,” said Thompson. “Ensuring everyone has access to high quality, affordable health care isn’t a Republican priority or Democrat priority – it is a national priority. That is why I am proud to be working across the aisle with Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers to make sure that rural America has access to health care.”

“As someone who grew up on a family farm, I know that rural communities in Eastern Washington have unique needs – particularly when it comes to accessing quality health care,” said McMorris Rodgers. “The numbers speak for themselves: There are 75 million Americans who live in rural areas (about 25 percent of the population), but only 10 percent of physicians practice there. In fact, one county in Eastern Washington doesn’t have a single primary care physician. Furthermore, when it comes to federal policies, rural communities are often left out of the decision-making process. That’s why I’m proud to join Rep. Thompson in introducing this bipartisan bill which will protect access to rural health care and ensure that rural communities are fairly represented in the government’s health care policies.”

"We commend Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Congressman Mike Thompson for the introduction of the Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2012,” said Alan Morgan, CEO for National Rural Health Association. “This legislation will go far in ensuring that rural providers have the necessary tools to provide quality care for all rural Americans. We encourage the passage of this vital legislation."

The R-HOPE Act of 2012 would bring parity to rural communities by:

• Increasing payments to rural hospitals which take a disproportionate share (DSH) of Medicare and Medicaid patients to the levels that urban DSH receive to better reflect the actual costs of providing care.

• Improve payments for lab services in rural hospitals.

• Continue geographic reclassification for certain hospitals in sparsely populated states.

• Ensure adequate rural representation on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).

• Raise Rural Health Clinic reimbursements to more appropriately cover costs.

• Extend several expiring Medicare incentive payments for rural practitioners including physicians practicing in physician scarcity areas, rural ambulance providers, and specific classes of rural hospitals. If these extension are not passed, many providers would have a harder time providing the same level of care they currently provide.

Approximately one fourth of all Americans live in rural areas that rely on local community hospitals, clinics and independent practices for their health care.

Many of these facilities face significant challenges that this assistance could help them overcome such as remote geographic location, small size, workforce scarcity, physician shortages, and constrained financial resources.

In addition to the health benefits provided by these facilities, they also provide jobs to hard hit rural communities.

The average Critical Access Hospital directly employs more than 100 people and provides more than $4 million in direct salary, wages and benefits. An independent physician in a rural area supports more than 20 jobs and provides $1 million in economic benefit to their communities.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s First Congressional District, which includes the counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo.

He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.