Washington, D.C. -  U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson has introduced legislation to protect the certification of rural health clinics in order to ensure the delivery of health care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in rural areas.

   “Population changes in some cases may render some of these clinics ineligible for continuation in this program,” Rep. Johnson said. “This would reduce reimbursement rates for clinics, hinder their ability to operate and ultimately lead to a reduction in the quality and quantity of health care available to the elderly and poor in these areas.”

   House Resolution 2157 provides that certain facilities located in areas designated as rural areas before Jan. 1, 2000, be able to retain that status despite population changes as long as the clinics meet other criteria such as being in a medically underserved area and being geographically underserved by health professionals.

   For the Rural Health Care Program, any area not defined as urbanized is considered non-urbanized.  An urbanized area is a city of 50,000 or more and its surrounding suburbs.

   “These clinics, and these people, should not be penalized by marginal population changes,” Rep. Johnson said. “This legislation merely protects the existing status of clinics in areas that meet all the other standards for rural health care as provided for by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.”

   In the 15^th District, some clinics that might be affected include Carle Clinic of Danville, Carle Clinic of Georgetown, the Danville Pediatric Center, Provena Hospitals Family Health Care Center in Danville, the Family Health Care Center of Westville and the Family Practice Medical Center Ltd. Of Georgetown.

   Rep. Johnson’s bill has been assigned to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.  
 

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