Arkansas rural hospital funding bill moves forward

An Arkansas Senate committee approved a bill that would allow rural hospitals to apply for Rural Emergency Hospital designation, opening them up to new sources of federal funds, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Feb. 9

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To get Rural Emergency Hospital designation, hospitals would have to drop almost all inpatient services and focus on emergency, observation and outpatient care. 

The bill passed the Arkansas House on a 95-1 vote last week. According to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, 16 percent of Arkansas’ rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure.

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