Latest RHC News from Washington, DC

Congressman Valadao Visits Sequoia Family Medical Center; House Passes Budget Resolution Teeing Up Medicaid Fight

Mo Sullivan, Government Affairs Associate, NARHC

Congressional Visits to RHCs

Last month, the Sequoia Family Medical Center (SFMC) welcomed Representative David Valadao to tour their RHC and meet with staff!

During his visit, SFMC staff sat down with Rep. Valadao to discuss current RHC federal policy priorities and to highlight the essential care that RHCs provide to their communities. Staff reported that this was a positive and productive experience and highly recommend their RHC peers to consider hosting their Members of Congress as well.

Prior to the Congressman’s visit, the SFMC team met with NARHC DC staff to discuss current RHC federal policy priorities and prepare for the best discussion possible! Congressional visits are one of the most effective ways to advocate for RHCs, giving Members of Congress a firsthand look at the challenges RHCs face, as well as the critical role they play in rural healthcare delivery.

Congress is leaving DC as you read this for a two-week recess in their states and districts. Now is a great time to invite them to your RHCs! If you are interested in hosting your Members of Congress, please contact Mo at Mo.Sullivan@NARHC.org for assistance in planning a visit!

The Latest in the Budget Reconciliation Process

In other news, yesterday the House of Representatives passed the Senate’s proposed budget resolution, paving the way for next steps in the budget reconciliation process.

Notably, the budget resolution tasks the House Energy and Commerce Committee with finding $880 billion in budget cuts over the next decade. This has prompted concerns from providers and patients because this committee oversees Medicaid, leading many to believe that cuts to the program will be necessary to meet this goal. While many Republicans have pledged to protect Medicaid, including President Trump himself, their assurances stand in contrast to the scale of cuts required.

Congress is now tasked with writing the package details of the budget resolution, and we will continue to communicate any developments to the RHC community.

To read more of the latest updates from DC, head to the discussion forum for this week’s advocacy update here. To stay in the loop on future updates, we encourage folks to stay engaged with the forum, as this is the primary platform NARHC's DC team utilizes for timely and significant updates. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!