Huffman, Moolenaar Introduce Legislation to Improve, Modernize Rural Health Care
Huffman, Moolenaar Introduce Legislation to Improve, Modernize Rural Health Care July 14, 2026 Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI) introduced the Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act. The legislation would allow rural hospitals to use Medicare funding to hire physician anesthesiologists. Under current law, hospitals are only permitted to use Medicare funding to hire certified anesthesiologist assistants or nurse anesthetists. “Rural hospitals and health centers, like the many throughout my district, serve communities that would otherwise have no access to essential health care. But their remote locations present many unique challenges – including building and sustaining a strong workforce,” said Rep. Huffman. “Our bill would remove barriers for anesthesiologists to participate in rural incentive programs that are a critical tool for rural medical facilities to attract and retain the staff they need to care for our communities.” "Rural Michigan residents deserve to have access to the highest quality health care available. That is why we must modernize Medicare's regulations and allow rural hospitals to recruit and pay physician anesthesiologists. Our commonsense, bipartisan legislation makes a small change to existing law to let these hospitals effectively use the funds already available to them and ensure Americans in rural communities can receive the anesthesia services they need, when they need them," said Moolenaar. The text of the Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act can be found here . ### Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article
4a49dedb-424c-44b7-8837-66a4457c3be3Edit history (1 prior version)
This release was edited after publication. Earlier captures are preserved below.
- Captured Jul 15, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT
Show prior body text
Huffman, Moolenaar Introduce Legislation to Improve, Modernize Rural Health Care July 14, 2026 Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI) introduced the Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act. The legislation would allow rural hospitals to use Medicare funding to hire physician anesthesiologists. Under current law, hospitals are only permitted to use Medicare funding to hire certified anesthesiologist assistants or nurse anesthetists. “Rural hospitals and health centers, like the many throughout my district, serve communities that would otherwise have no access to essential health care. But their remote locations present many unique challenges – including building and sustaining a strong workforce,” said Rep. Huffman. “Our bill would remove barriers for anesthesiologists to participate in rural incentive programs that are a critical tool for rural medical facilities to attract and retain the staff they need to care for our communities.” "Rural Michigan residents deserve to have access to the highest quality health care available. That is why we must modernize Medicare's regulations and allow rural hospitals to recruit and pay physician anesthesiologists. Our commonsense, bipartisan legislation makes a small change to existing law to let these hospitals effectively use the funds already available to them and ensure Americans in rural communities can receive the anesthesia services they need, when they need them," said Moolenaar. The text of the Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act can be found here . ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article
Issued within 24 hours
Other senators' releases published in the day before or after this one.
