Rural Advocacy Agenda 2025
The AHA supports policies and legislation that enable rural hospitals to care for their communities. The Rural Advocacy Agenda outlines some key areas of focus for our 2024 advocacy agenda.
Rural Health Services
Over 57 million rural Americans depend on their hospital as an important source of care as well as a critical component of their area's economic and social fabric.
AHA ensures the unique needs of our members are a national priority. Location, size, workforce, payment and access to capital challenge small or rural hospitals and the communities they serve. Collaborating with state and regional hospital associations and with advice from its member council, the Section tracks the issues, develops policies and identifies solutions to our most pressing problems. We do this through:
- Representation and advocacy in Washington, DC
- Communication and education
- Executive leadership and technical assistance
- Innovation in payment and delivery
Telling the Hospital Story: Rural Hospitals in Action
Infographic: Rural Hospitals: Community Cornerstones Facing Perilous Threats to Care
Rural Health Resources
Advocacy and Policy
The American Hospital Association has made improving access to rural health a top priority. Our advocacy agenda for lawmakers and policy recommendations to government agencies lay the groundwork for needed change to improve the system for patients. Click here for regulatory advisories, comment letters, fact sheets and our agendas.
Education and Communications
The American Hospital Association has a wealth of media and educational resources available to rural hospitals and health systems. Click here for reports, newsletters, podcasts, webinars, and more.
Tools and Resources
NEW: Rural Health Services Resources and References
The American Hospital Association is proud to feature the success stories of its members. Read a variety of case studies highlighting best practices, innovative techniques and new ideas from the field.
Grants
A curated library of grants, tools and other resources from AHA and others available to rural providers. Click here to see the collection.
Explore Rural Health Services Topics
Rural Hospital Closures Threaten Access: Solutions to Preserve Care in Local Communities
The American Hospital Association today released a new report highlighting the variety of causes that resulted in 136 rural hospital closures from 2010 to 2021, and a record 19 closures in 2020 alone.
Rural Hospital Advocacy Alliance
Building on the AHA's extensive work on behalf of small and rural hospitals, this alliance focuses on extending key Medicare provisions that would otherwise sunset, including the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, the Medicare-Dependent Hospital Program, Section 508 reclassifications and the outpatient hold harmless. In addition, the alliance will continue to work to protect Critical Access Hospitals and other rural hospital designations.
Rural Health Update Newsletters
AHA Rural Health Update is a compilation of news from the AHA and its Rural Health Services team. Update provides constituents with a synopsis of breaking news on key issues targeted to rural providers.This monthly newsletter covers current rural advocacy priorities for legislation, rulemaking and federal policy. It includes recent updates to resources and references for educational programs, webinars and podcasts as well as tools, resources, grants and awards.
Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award
The Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award from the AHA Rural Health Services honors the leadership team who has guided their hospital and community through transformational change on the road to health care reform innovation.