ACTION NEEDED
Call or email your U.S. representative and urge them to cosponsor the Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act (H.R. 5989), which would provide reliable funding by allowing community facility loans and loan guarantees under the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used by rural health care facilities.
TIMING
Call or email your representative today. Resources are available below for your use in outreach. Find your representative’s contact information in this online directory.
RESOURCES
- CHA letter to the California Congressional Delegation
- Template letter for hospitals that serve rural communities
- Template letter for hospitals that do not serve rural communities
- CHA Federal Legislative Tracker (to see current cosponsors)
BACKGROUND
Many small and rural hospitals have seen their operating margin drop by a frightening 8 percentage points from 2019 to 2023. This is a national trend. Between January 2013 and February 2020, more than 100 rural hospitals have closed; in California, two rural hospitals have closed in the past 10 years. The Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act (H.R. 5989) would allow community facility loans and loan guarantees under the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used by rural health care facilities to help keep their doors open for countless rural Americans, and the millions living in California rural communities.