Sen. Josh Hawley Introduces Legislation to Address Rural Healthcare Crisis

First on Fox: Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., unveiled new legislation on Wednesday aimed at tackling America’s rural healthcare crisis. Hawley emphasized the urgent need for Congress to intervene to prevent the closure of rural emergency rooms.

“Americans in rural communities across the country are confronted with a concerning shortage of access to emergency medical care,” Hawley said. “In Missouri alone, 12 rural hospitals with emergency rooms have closed in as many years, and those that remain open are struggling to keep the lights on.”

The proposed Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act seeks to save rural hospitals from shutting down at an alarming rate. Since 2005, nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed nationwide, creating “widespread emergency-room deserts” and leaving some residents to travel over an hour for emergency care, based on information from the senator’s office.

In Missouri, the situation is particularly severe, with records indicating that nearly 50% of rural hospitals operate at a loss. Ten hospitals, or about 20%, are at “immediate risk of closure.”

To address these challenges, the legislation proposes establishing a mandatory, 10-year dedicated funding stream, managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration. If enacted, eligible rural hospitals would receive a baseline distribution of $1 million per year for emergency room operating expenses, distributed quarterly and adjusted for inflation. Additional funding would be allocated based on each hospital’s geographical, financial, and patient-injury characteristics.

Hawley’s bill includes provisions for participating rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure to receive a one-time emergency payment of up to $250,000. The senator’s office clarified that hospitals receiving this new funding would remain eligible for other federal healthcare programs and grants without negative impacts.

Hawley plans to announce the Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act at a news conference scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Alexandra Koch, a Fox News Digital journalist, covers breaking news with a focus on high-impact events shaping national dialogue. Her coverage includes major national crises like the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.