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Senators Want Statutory Authorization to Keep Focus on Rural Health Needs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today introduced legislation to build on their efforts to bring a sharper focus on rural health needs by permanently authorizing the Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The bipartisan Rural Health Focus Act (S.403) would authorize the CDC Office of Rural Health, which was established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Hyde-Smith and Merkley, who both serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, have been the driving force behind pushing the CDC to create the Office of Rural Health.
“People living in rural areas, like so many do in Mississippi, continue to face disparities and challenges in accessing basic health care. A big part of the problem is the lack of understanding about the severity of the problem in urban areas and among too many policymakers. We believe that establishing a permanent Office of Rural Health within the CDC can help to improve this situation,” Senator Hyde-Smith said.
“So often, we rely on one-size-fits-all solutions to health challenges in our communities, especially for folks in rural communities facing unique hurdles in providing and accessing the health care they need and deserve,” Senator Merkley said. “Our bipartisan bill supports the CDC’s Office of Rural Health—which I created with Senator Hyde-Smith—providing crucial health resources for our rural communities. This is an issue I frequently hear from Oregonians about, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure rural communities get national policymakers’ attention to the problems they face.”
Statutory authorization of the CDC Office of Rural Health would improve opportunities for Congress to provide regular funding and support for better coordination of rural health programs. Congress provided $5.0 million in FY2024 appropriations to support this CDC office.
The Rural Health Focus Act would direct the head of the CDC to name a director of the Office of Rural Health who, among other things, would:
- Serve as the primary point of contact in the CDC on matters pertaining to rural health.
- Work with all CDC personnel and offices to develop, refine, coordinate, and promulgate policies, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative, successful programs to improve care and services (including telehealth) for rural populations.
- Identify disparities in the availability of health care and public health interventions for rural populations.
- Award and administer grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to provide technical assistance and other activities as necessary to support activities related to improving health and health care in rural areas.
Hyde-Smith and Merkley introduced similar authorizing legislation in the 118th Congress.
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