Cassidy Introduces BILL to Expand Medicare Advantage Access in Rural Communities

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced theEnsuring Access to Essential Providers Act of 2025to strengthen access to care for rural populations by ensuring Medicare Advantage (MA) plans include essential community providers (ECPs) in their networks.“No patient should have to travel hours for care when there is a clinic or hospital in their community ready to help,”said Dr.Cassidy.“This bill makes sure Louisianans in rural areas have care closer to home.”
The bill is supported by the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers, the Alliance of Safety Net Hospitals, America’s Essential Hospitals, the American Hospital Association, Mental Health America, NAMI, the National Association for Behavioral Health, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, National Council of Urban Indian Health, the National Rural Health Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the AIDS Institute, and the Association of Cancer Care Centers.Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in introducing the legislation.
The Ensuring Access to Essential Providers Act of 2025 amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act so that MA plans:
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