Senator Hyde-Smith pushes rural health bills

Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is backing new legislation in the Senate aimed at improving rural health care access.

The Rural Health Innovation Act would create two federal grant programs to help local clinics and health departments expand walk-in urgent care, triage, and emergency stabilization services.

Under the plan, community health centers and rural clinics could receive up to $750,000, while local health departments could get up to $500,000 to serve as triage hubs and support emergency transport.

Hyde-Smith is also supporting separate legislation called the Save Struggling Hospitals Act designed to boost Medicare payments for lower-wage, rural hospitals, in an effort to help keep them open.

Both measures are backed by national and Mississippi-based health organizations.