Washington
DC Office
307 Dirksen Senate
Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-6441
Fax: 202-224-1724
Wyoming Office
P.O. Box 22201
Casper, WY 82602
307-261-6413
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Contact: Cameron Hardy
202-224-6441 |
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Thomas: 70 Percent of Rural Health Cuts Remain
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December 13th, 2005 - “While some of the funding was restored, more than 70 percent of the cuts to rural health programs remain. It’s incredibly shortsighted to cut to the core our most basic rural health funding, which has had support from both chambers. I’ll keep fighting to put rural states on equal footing with our urban counterparts. We have a long way to go to make our health care system both affordable and accessible – these cuts don’t help,” Thomas said.
One of the programs eliminated was the Rural Emergency Medical Services program, which provides improved emergency medical response funding for emergency services in rural areas.
“It’s important to recognize the tough situation people face to access medical care in rural states,” Thomas said. “Our emergency responders are in a tough spot. Rural EMS providers are mostly volunteers and have a tough time recruiting and retaining volunteers. Because they have less capital to buy and upgrade life-saving equipment they have an uphill battle in making necessary improvements to improve their services. While the rural funding numbers are small, this kind of funding is critical to ensure adequate reimbursement rates and collaboration among health entities that is required in a state like Wyoming. As rural EMS squads are forced to close, rural residents and those visiting our state may be left without access to emergency services. This is downright dangerous as communities are finding it difficult to maintain a service prepared to respond to emergencies and moreover, to a major public health problem.”
Thomas sent a letter to Senate appropriators in November, signed by 45 members of Rural Health Caucus, in it he requested full funding for rural health care be retained in the Labor HHS bill. It was contained when it passed the Senate, but the House version cut the rural health provisions.
“There was room in the budget for these programs and support in the Congress. But now we’re indiscriminately targeting rural programs for cuts that decimate rural health networks,” Thomas said in November.
“Members of the caucus worked hard to include these provisions and it’s tough to see all of that work torn apart. I will continue to fight for rural health equity.”
Here’s some general information on the funding/cuts.
Rural Program Funding
Under the Revised FY 2006 Labor HHS Appropriations Bill
On December 7th, the House of Representatives defeated HR. 3010, the Labor-HHS bill, in part because it gutted funding for rural health care. The bill contained $200 million worth of cuts to rural health programs.
The new conference agreement restored some program funding (approximately $60 million); however 70 percent of the cuts to rural health programs remain.
The bill includes $137 million worth of cuts to rural health programs including:
* 85% cut to Access to Emergency Devices program
* Eliminates funding for the Geriatric Education Centers
* 41 centers currently operating in 33 states.
* Eliminates Health Education Training Centers
* Eliminates the Quentin Burdick Rural Interdisciplinary Training Grants
* Eliminates the Rural Emergency Medical Services program
* Eliminates the Healthy Community Access Program (HCAP) Grants
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