FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Green Continues Fight for Rural Communities
Read Nancy Vu’s exclusive in BGov’s Health Care Brief here.
WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Mark Green, M.D., member of the GOP Doctors Caucus and the Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, reintroduced two rural healthcare bills in the 119th Congress.
On the Rural ER Access Act, Rep. Green said, “As a former Army doctor and emergency room physician, I understand the complex needs of our rural communities. Americans living outside metropolitan areas frequently face inadequate access to emergency medical services. I’ve heard far too many sobering stories from my constituents about their struggle to find medical care. This is dangerous and often life-threatening. We must repeal onerous and burdensome federal regulations to allow our hospital systems to better reach and care for those in medical deserts.
Preventing free-standing emergency departments and other vital hospital outpatient departments from operating more than 35 miles from a hospital is not only antiquated and unfair, but leads to serious lapses in care. Specifically, free-standing emergency departments in rural communities mean more jobs and proper care for those who need it. Many rural communities already lack access to hospitals — we cannot continue allowing the 35-mile rule to prevent other avenues for care.”
This bill was endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Read the bill text here.
Of the Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025, Rep. Green said, “Critical Access Hospitals are often the last line of medical care in rural and underserved communities. However, a dangerous rule bars hospitals from pursuing a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation if it falls within 35-miles of another CAH. My bill simply removes this perimeter requirement and opens up the CAH designation to more communities. A CAH designation reduces financial vulnerability for rural hospitals and improves access to care by keeping essential services in rural communities. Now more than ever, we must act to reverse the decline in healthcare access and ensure that Americans living outside cities get the care they need.”
This bill was endorsed by the National Rural Health Association, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, the Tennessee Hospital Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Read the bill text here.
“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) commends Representative Green for introducing the Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025, a critical step toward ensuring rural communities can designate facilities as critical access hospitals without mileage limitations. This legislation will provide rural areas the flexibility needed to enhance health care accessibility and maintain essential services. NRHA looks forward to collaborating with Congress to strengthen rural health care infrastructure.” - Alan Morgan, CEO of The National Rural Health Association.
“Rural hospitals across Tennessee continue to face financial challenges, with some at risk of closure. The Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation allows small rural hospitals to receive cost-based Medicare reimbursement, which can help sustain services in the community. Unfortunately, several rural hospitals across Tennessee are unable to obtain CAH designation due to the mileage requirement. THA appreciates Congressman Green’s leadership on theRural Healthcare Access Actwhich could enable more rural hospitals to qualify for vital CAH benefits allowing them to continue to care for patients in their community.” -Dr. Wendy Long, President and CEO of the Tennessee Hospital Association
“Rural emergency departments (EDs) are the health care safety net for some of our country’s most vulnerable and underserved communities, providing 24/7/365 access to lifesaving care for 60 million people in the U.S. These EDs operate under growing strain as they face critical shortages of qualified medical staff with limited resources and the ever-present threat of closures. ACEP is grateful for Representative Green’s leadership, as a legislator and an emergency medicine colleague, in introducing the Rural Health Care Access Act and the Rural ER Access Act. These bills will help stabilize and preserve access to rural emergency care, ensuring that our patients can get the care they need and deserve, no matter where they reside.” -Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians
“Tennessee has lost 17 hospitals since 2010 including four since the start of the pandemic in 2020. 75% of the remaining rural hospitals are in financial trouble. When tragedy strikes physicians have the most impact during the first golden hour. Many Tennesseans who live in our beautiful rural areas travel far distances to seek care in the already overburdened city hospitals. Every shift, I treat someone who has traveled over an hour for their care. No matter where you live in Tennessee, fewer hospitals statewide leads to increased wait times in the remaining emergency departments. Any resources or innovative designs to make our state's hospitals more stable are welcome and necessary for the health of all Tennesseans.” -Stanton Elseroad, MD, MBA, FACEP, President of the Tennessee College of Emergency Physicians
Background: According to U.S. News and World Report, Tennessee has seen more hospital closures than any other state besides Texas. In fact, the Tennessee Hospital Association estimates that 45 percent of Tennessee hospitals are at risk of closure. Learn more about this problem from WATE 6.
You can read Rep. Green’s testimony before the Ways and Means Committee last year here. You can read more about these bills in the Tennessee Star, Clarksville Online, or the Washington Examiner.
The Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025 targets rural hospital closures by removing arbitrary federal guidelines that limit the use of the Critical Access Hospital designation. The Rural ER Access Act repeals a federal regulation that prohibits free-standing hospital departments from operating more than 35 miles from a hospital with the intent to expand free-standing emergency departments. Free-standing ERs serve the rural communities that are desperately in need of such care.
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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://markgreen.house.gov/2025/1/rep-green-continues-fight-for-rural-communities