Phil Gingrey: “Dear Speaker Hastert, The Rural Hospital Coalition, which is comprised of more than 150 rural hospitals in America…”

“Dear Speaker Hastert, The Rural Hospital Coalition, which is comprised of more than 150 rural hospitals in America, applauds your leadership in working in a bipartisan fashion to achieve a compromise Medicare bill. We support your efforts to modernize Medicare and give senior citizens a prescription drug benefit that they deserve. Most importantly, this bill strengthens health care in rural America. For that alone, you should be proud. We urge all Members of Congress to support the compromise Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization bill. It reforms a Medicare system that has for far too long reimbursed rural hospitals at a lower rate than their urban counterparts for the exact same services. Passage of this conference report will give rural physicians, nurses, clinics, and hospitals a fair shake when it comes to the Medicare payments. It will create a financially stronger hospital for rural communities, provide more jobs, and provide more services.”