Member Committee Appointed to Advise on Rural Hospital Plan, Fund Allocations
Twelve member leaders have been appointed to an ad hoc committee of the OHA Board to advise on development of a Rural Health Transformation Plan and allocation of resources from a new fund created by the federal reconciliation bill.
The funding is to be used to implement the plan, which includes improving access, outcomes, prevention and chronic disease management, clinician recruitment and retention, and other strategies for rural residents.
Member leaders serving on the committee are: Brent Burkey, MD, Fisher-Titus Health; Chad Ross, Mary Rutan Health; Rodney Stout, MD, Holzer Health System; Michael Gentry, Kettering Health; Arturo Polizzi, ProMedica, Jennifer Ranly, Premier Health; Steve Markovich, MD, OhioHealth; Jerome Morasko, Avita Health System; Ben Gill, Southern Ohio Medical Center; Jeff Graham, Adena Health; Cliff Megerian, MD, University Hospitals; and Matthew Perry, Genesis Healthcare System.
OHA will post updates at ohiohospitals.org/rural as more details on the federal process become available.
The $50 billion is to be allocated in three ways:
- 50% ($25 billion, $5 billion per year) equally distributed among all states with an approved application — assuming all 50 are approved, that’s $500 million over five years ($100 million each year) for Ohio hospitals.
- 50% ($25 billion) distributed on a formula basis to be established by the CMS administrator. The formula is to be based on the: percentage of state population in a rural census tract; state’s proportion of rural health facilities relative to the nation; situation of hospitals in the state which serve a disproportionate number of low-income patients with special needs; and any other factors per the CMS Administrator — this will be a variable amount, TBD on actual allocation.
