U.S. Rep. Tokuda Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Rural Emergency Hospitals
U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda has introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act, also known as REH 2.0, a bipartisan measure aimed at bolstering struggling rural hospitals. Co-sponsors include U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Sharice Davids of Kansas, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Carol Miller of West Virginia. This legislation seeks to address shortcomings in the original Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation created by Congress in 2020, which was intended to provide a lifeline for rural hospitals at risk of closure. Despite over 1,500 eligible hospitals, only about 40 have converted to REH status due to barriers such as the loss of inpatient services, 340B drug discounts, costly facility requirements, and restrictive eligibility rules. REH 2.0 proposes allowing these hospitals to maintain distinct inpatient psychiatric and obstetric units, providing dedicated funding for laboratory services, and clarifying state Medicaid payment flexibilities. Companion legislati... 
