The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released an additional $450 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to rural healthcare providers who have been struggling with rising expenses, workforce challenges, and lost revenues resulting from the ongoing pandemic, Health Leaders reports.
The American Rescue Plan payments are being released to providers and suppliers who have served rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries from January 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020.
There are currently 1,796 rural community hospitals in the United States, according to the American Hospital Association, and these organizations have been fighting an uphill battle since before the onset of the pandemic. Over 130 rural hospitals have closed over the last decade, according to research from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Read more.
