Almost one fifth of the US population lives in a rural area. Critical Access Hospitals and other small, rural clinics provide vital services in underserved areas and often act as the foundations of rural health care delivery systems.
Critical access hospitals (CAHs) are vital for maintaining the access to high-quality health care services in the United States rural community. Since established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the AHA has been a champion for its CAH members.
CAHs represent a quarter of all U.S. and more than two-thirds of all rural community hospitals. Securing the future of CAHs and the essential role they play in caring for rural America is of paramount importance. The AHA remains vigilant in the face of legislative, regulatory and policy proposals that threaten either the local delivery of care or rural community health status.
We advocate for CAH program improvements and enhancements as well as fixes to payment and administrative limitations that constrain the efficiency and effectiveness of these essential health care providers.
