Working Families Tax Cuts Invest in Rural Health Care

Working Families Tax Cuts Invest in Rural Health Care

Washington, D.C.-We recognize National Hospital Week in honor of the hard work of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals in caring for Americans in their most vulnerable moments. The Working Families Tax Cuts are supporting that work by expanding access to a variety of health services. The law also created the Rural Health Transformation Program, which is giving immediate relief to rural hospitals grappling with outdated infrastructure, staffing issues and low patient volumes.

"Rural hospitals are lifelines for their communities, and many have been under financial strain for a long time," said U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). "As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I am constantly advocating for rural health care on behalf of Idahoans. The Rural Health Transformation Program makes the single largest investment in rural health care in decades, and over the next five years, Idaho will receive, at a minimum, $100 million annually from the fund. That means expanded health care access in rural communities and improved health outcomes for Idahoans."

Key wins:

• Creates the $50 billion five-year Rural Health Transformation Program
• • Idaho is receiving over $185 million this year
• Increases 2026 Medicare payments to health care providers
• Repeals Biden-era nurse staffing rule that threatened to close rural nursing home services
• Increases access to zero-deductible telehealth services
• Increases access to Health Savings Accounts

What they are saying:

"It's going to allow us to bring practitioners, doctors [and] nurses into these communities, where they will hopefully spend decades of their life bringing quality care to these individuals. We're going to invest in … our rural communities-and we've got the right people, we've got the right ideas and now we have the right amount of money to make it happen. The next 5 years will change the face of rural health care." - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz

"For many Idaho families-especially in rural areas-affordable, accessible health care is a real concern. This investment, made possible by the [Working Families Tax Cuts], recognizes those challenges and puts resources where they're needed most. It helps strengthen local health care and ensures Idahoans can get the affordable care they need, no matter where they live." - Idaho Governor Brad Little

Click HERE to learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program.

Click HERE to learn more about the Finance Committee provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts.