U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Jerry Moran, and Tina Smith Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Rural Health Resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and several of their Senate colleagues introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act (REH 2.0), bipartisan legislation to expand access to federal resources for rural hospitals through the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Medicare designation. This legislation would allow more Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and rural hospitals at risk of closure to sustain health care services in rural communities, and it would make technical improvements to the designation. “Hospitals in rural communities across Alabama and the nation are increasingly closing their doors, making it harder for Americans to access quality healthcare,” said Senator Britt. “This legislation will help preserve local hospitals and prevent them from closing altogether by providing greater flexibility under the Rural Emergency Hospital program. Strengthening this program will help ensure rural families can continue receiving essential, and potentially lifesaving, care close to home, which is why I’m proud to support it.” The Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act would allow previously closed rural hospitals to re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 27, 2020. “I have visited every hospital in Kansas numerous times, and these conversations help guide my efforts to make certain health care providers across our state have the support they need to provide critical services to patients in their communities,” said Senator Moran. “During these visits, providers shared with me their recommendations for strengthening the Rural Emergency Hospital designation so it can better support the struggling facilities it was originally intended to serve. The legislation I am introducing with Senator Tina Smith is the direct result of what we have heard from rural hospitals and health care providers in our states, and it makes needed improvements to the program to help make certain patients can continue to access critical health care services in their communities for years to come.” The Senators’ legislation would also direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a waiver program for facilities operating similarly to an REH in order to convert to an REH, allow REH facilities to maintain or create a unit for inpatient psychiatric care, obstetric care and allow for limited inpatient rehabilitation services, and more. “Rural hospitals are vital for families in small towns and rural communities. These hospitals not only provide care close to home, they’re also economic engines for their region,” said Senator Smith. “But many rural hospitals face increasingly dire financial strain and workforce shortages, forcing them to cut services or even close down altogether. This important legislation is just one tool in the toolbox to help rural hospitals on the verge of closure keep their doors open. Make no mistake, much more is needed to ensure the health and wellness of rural hospitals and families.” Joining Senators Britt, Moran, and Smith in cosponsoring the legislation are Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Marshall, M.D., (R-Kan.). Senator Britt has worked to support rural Alabama communities and fight for access to critical medical services throughout her time in the Senate. In FY26 appropriations funding, she directly secured more than $28.6 million for medical and research equipment, workforce development training, nursing education, mobile health units, and more. Senator Britt also recently celebrated the committee passage of her Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , which offers support for urgent obstetric care at rural health facilities. You can read the full text of the bill here . ###