Salinas Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Specialty Care in Rural Communities

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced her bipartisan, bicameral bill to increase rural communities' access to specialty care providers. Modeled on a successful Oregon pilot program, the Ensuring Access to Specialty Care Everywhere (EASE) Actauthorizes the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to create a virtual specialty care provider network that rural patients can access through telehealth.

Salinas joined her Republican colleague, Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19), in introducing the EASE Actin the House. U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

"People with chronic conditions depend on specialty care to stay healthy, yet many rural communities do not have sufficient access to these services," said Rep. Salinas. "The bipartisan EASE Actis based on a successful pilot program from Oregon that used telehealth to connect rural patients with specialty care providers, reducing wait times and improving coordination between providers. I'm proud to introduce this critical legislation that would expand access to specialty care for millions of Americans."

"We won't have the next generation of ag and energy producers providing our country with food security and energy independence if we don't ensure their families have access to quality care," said Rep. Arrington. "The lack of specialty care for rural Americans has resulted in worse outcomes and higher costs. I'm proud to introduce the EASE Act, which leverages technology to close the health care gap in rural and underserved communities with greater access to specialty and integrated care."

"Everyone deserves access to quality, efficient health care. However, people in rural communities often face unacceptable barriers to care, including unsustainably high wait times and impossibly long drives to connect with specialists," said Sen. Padilla. "Our bipartisan EASE Actwould expand telehealth capabilities so rural communities can access specialty care, allowing for earlier intervention and reducing unnecessary emergency visits."

"Rural communities are disproportionately impacted by clinician shortages, an aging population, and transportation hurdles, which can make it tough to access specialty care," said Sen. Mullin. "Harnessing the power of telehealth will help address these needs and expand access to essential health care services of which many patients are in desperate need. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this bill to ensure access to quality health care regardless of a patients' zip code."

Specifically, the EASE Act would:

• Authorize CMMI to enter into an agreement with a provider network comprised of nonprofit entities including federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, or rural emergency hospitals, at least half of which are located in rural areas.
• Patients eligible for participation in this program must be located in rural and underserved areas and be enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.

The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: National Rural Health Association (NRHA), American Telemedicine Association (ATA), ATA Action, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Providence, OCHIN, The Libre Initiative, and the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals.

"The National Rural Health Association applauds Representatives Arrington, Salinas, and LaHood and Senators Mullin and Padilla for the introduction of the EASE Act. A shortage of health care providers in rural areas means that patients can often have long wait times and challenges accessing needed specialty care. The EASE Actis an innovative piece of legislation that would leverage virtual technologies to reduce wait times, overcome geographic barriers, and improve care for rural Americans," said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.

"We need to rethink how we ensure Rural America's access to specialty care. The EASE Actis an innovative and cost-effective way to provide reliable and integrated access to specialists. OCHIN applauds Reps. Arrington and Salinas for championing bi-partisan solutions that will redesign how high-quality care is delivered," said Jennifer Stoll, Chief External Affairs Officer at OCHIN.

"The EASE Actseeks to remove barriers health care access for families in underserved areas who can face delays of 30 to 70 days just to access basic specialty care. By empowering local clinics with virtual tools and better care coordination, the EASE Actwould help communities take control of their health, empower patients, and strengthen local health networks," said Isabel Soto, Policy Director for The LIBRE Initiative.

To read the full text of the legislation, click here.

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