,,iii #aac? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ehh ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,novemb] #bj1 #bjad,mr4 ,moran 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,hoev51 ,mr4 ,boozman1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,mr4 ,?une1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 ,mr4 ,hell]1 ,mr4 ,co*ran1 ,ms4 ,heitkamp1 ,mr4 ,te/]1 ,ms4 ,baldw91 ,mr4 ,johnson ( ,s\? ,dakota1 ,mr4 ,donnelly1 ,mr4 ,durb91 ,mr4 ,frank51 & ,ms4 ,hirono7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 consid]$ & agre$ to ,,resolution ,recogniz+ t access to hospitals & o!r heal? c>e provid]s = pati5ts 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is ess5tial to ! survival & success ( communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,:]eas access to quality heal? c>e s]vices det]m9es :e!r individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates c rema9 9 ! communities !y call home & :e!r _! *ildr5 w return to ^? communities to raise families ( _! own2 ,:]eas m ?an #fj1jjj1jjj individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates rely on rural hospitals & o!r provid]s z critical access po9ts to heal? c>e2 ,:]eas rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ne$ quality heal? c>e s]vices to attract & reta9 bus9ess & indu/ry2 ,:]eas1 to ensure t communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates survive & fl\ri%1 ,congress mu/ address ! unique heal? c>e ne$s ( individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates are1 p] capita1 old]1 poor]1 & sick] ?an individuals 9 urban areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 rural areas h high] rates ( pov]ty1 *ronic disease1 & un9surance1 & millions ( rural ,am]icans h limit$ access to a prim>y c>e provid]2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture1 individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates h high] rates ( age-adju/$ mortality1 disability1 & *ronic disease ?an individuals 9 urban areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ! #bj p]c5t ( ! population ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates t lives 9 rural areas is scatt]$ ov] #ij p]c5t ( ! l&mass ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ! geography & wea!r ( rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates c make access+ heal? c>e difficult1 & cultural1 social1 & language b>ri]s comp\nd rural heal? *all5ges2 ,:]eas individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates are m likely to be un9sur$ & less likely to receive cov]age ?r\gh an employ] ?an individuals 9 urban areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas access to heal? c>e cont9ues to be a major *all5ge 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 z-- 7#a7 #gg p]c5t ( ! #b1jej rural c\nties 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates are designat$ z prim>y c>e ,heal? ,pr(essional ,%ortage ,areas 7commonly ref]r$ to z ,h,p,s,as72 7#b7 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates h few] ?an half z _m prim>y c>e physicians p] #ajj1jjj p z urban areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & 7#c7 m ?an #ej p]c5t ( pati5ts 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates travel at lea/ #bj miles to receive specialty m$ical c>e1 comp>$ to only #f p]c5t ( pati5ts 9 urban areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 because rural hospitals & o!r provid]s face unique *all5ges 9 adm9i/]+ c>e to pati5ts1 ,congress has traditionally support$ ^? provid]s by implem5t+-- 7#a7 specific programs to address rural hospital closures t occurr$ 9 ! #aihjs by provid+ f9ancial support to hospitals t are geographically isolat$ & 9 :i* ,m$ic>e pati5ts make up a significant p]c5tage ( hospital inpati5t days or dis*>ges2 & 7#b7 a program e/abli%$ 9 #aiig to support limit$-s]vice hospitals t1 be+ locat$ 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates t _c support a full-s]vice hospital1 are critical access po9ts to heal? c>e = rural pati5ts2 ,:]eas hospitals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates a*ieve high levels ( p]=mance1 accord+ to /&>ds = quality1 pati5t satisfaction1 & op]ational effici5cy1 = ! types ( c>e mo/ relevant to rural communities2 ,:]eas1 9 addition to ! vital c>e t rural heal? c>e provid]s provide to pati5ts1 rural heal? c>e provid]s are critical to ! local economies ( _! communities & are "o ( ! l>ge/ types ( employ]s 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates :]e1 on av]age1 #ad p]c5t ( total employm5t is attribut$ to ! heal? sector2 ,:]eas a hospital 9 a rural area ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is typically "o ( ! top #b l>ge/ employ]s 9 t area2 ,:]eas #a prim>y c>e physician 9 a rural community annually g5]ates approximately #a1ejj1jjj 9 total rev5ue1 & #a g5]al surgeon 9 a rural community annually g5]ates approximately #b1gjj1jjj 9 total rev5ue2 ,:]eas ! av]age ,critical ,access ,hospital1 a limit$-s]vice rural heal? c>e facility1 creates #ajg jobs & g5]ates #d1hjj1jjj 9 annual payroll1 & ! wages1 sal>ies1 & b5efits provid$ by a ,critical ,access ,hospital c am\nt to #bj p]c5t ( ! output ( a rural community's economy2 ,:]eas hospitals 9 rural communities play a vital role 9 c>+ = ! resid5ts ( ^? communities & pres]v+ ! special way ( life t communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates fo/]2 & ,:]eas ! closure ( a hospital 9 a rural community (t5 results 9 sev]e economic decl9e 9 ! community & ! dep>ture ( physicians1 nurses1 ph>maci/s1 & o!r heal? provid]s f ! community1 & =ces pati5ts to travel long di/ances = c>e or to delay receiv+ c>e1 lead+ to decreas$ heal? outcomes1 high] co/s1 & add$ burd5 to pati5ts3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 recognizes t access to hospitals & o!r heal? c>e provid]s = pati5ts 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is ess5tial to ! survival & success ( communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 7#b7 recognizes t pres]v+ & /r5g!n+ access to quality heal? c>e 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is crucial to ! success & prosp]ity ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 7#c7 recognizes t /r5g!n+ access to hospitals & o!r heal? c>e provid]s = pati5ts 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates makes ,m$ic>e m co/-effective & improves heal? outcomes = pati5ts2 7#d7 recognizes t1 9 addition to ! vital c>e t rural heal? c>e provid]s provide to pati5ts1 rural heal? c>e provid]s are integral to ! local economies & are "o ( ! l>ge/ types ( employ]s 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & 7#e7 celebrates ! _m d$icat$ m$ical pr(essionals across ! ,unit$ ,/ates :o "w h>d ea* day to deliv] quality c>e to ! ne>ly #a 9 #e p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates liv+ 9 rural areas1 because ! d$ication & pr(essionalism ( ^? m$ical pr(essionals pres]ves ! special way ( life & s5se ( community enjoy$ & *]i%$ by individuals 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4