LRHA ADVOCACY
2025 ADVOCACY AGENDA
| Priority | Areas of Focus |
| Investing in a Strong Rural Health Infrastructure |
|
| Building a Robust Rural Healthcare Workforce |
|
| Addressing Rural Health Equity |
|
View 2025 Advocacy Agenda and Related Bills
IN THE NEWS
June 25, 2025 - In Their Own Words: What Doctors, Nurses, Hospitals, and Other Providers Think About Republican Cuts to Health Care
June 28, 2025 - Medicaid cuts could devastate rural hospitals, a fragile lifeline in Louisiana
July 9, 2025 - Change is coming to rural health care in Acadiana but likely won't be felt for some time
Urge Congress to Invest in Rural Health
Now, more than ever, it is critical that Congress fully funds the rural health safety net and protects core rural programs against the President's draft budget proposal. In FY 2026, NRHA is urging Members of Congress to support the following requests to improve rural health care access and affordability:
- Reauthorize the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program and fund at $75m to support small rural hospital-based health care access for rural communities through working with Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), emergency medical service (EMS), clinics, and health professionals.
- Fund the State Offices of Rural Health at $15m.
- Increase the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Hospital Technical Assistance program to $5m.
- Expand the rural capacity for physician training by supporting the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to fund at $14m.
- Enhance the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) by expanding funding to $155m.
- Invest in the Rural Health Outreach Services programs at $109m to support rural, community-driven initiatives that improve access to care, enhance care coordination, and foster sustainable solutions to chronic disease prevention and management.
- Increase funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Rural Health at $10m.
- Invest in primary care through $1.858 billion for community health centers.
- Fund the National Health Service Corps at $130 million to alleviate rural workforce shortages.
- Fund the Teaching Health Center GME program at $320 million.
-
Several additional programs play a role in delivering care and strengthening rural health infrastructure. These include:
- $43.673 million for Oral Health Training Programs.
- $48 million for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth.
- $12.238 million for the 340B Drug Pricing Program and the Office of Pharmacy Affairs.
- Rural broadband and infrastructure are also foundational to sustaining rural care delivery. To that end, NRHA requests $1.95 billion for the USDA Community Facilities Program, $112.4 million for the ReConnect Broadband Program, and $10 million for the Rural Partners Network.
Please find the NRHA FY 2026 appropriations request table here. You can view NRHA’s letter to congressional leadership with the FY 2026 appropriations requests here. We encourage you to advocate on behalf of these requests by using the pre-drafted text . As always, feel free to add your personalized voice to the pre-drafted text to ensure your elected officials understand the unique needs of your community!
|
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
The Louisiana Rural Health Association is proud to amplify the voices of our members to promote and enhance the quality of rural health in Louisiana. Visit the Members Only Hub to learn how LRHA can support you in sharing your story and advocating for the needs of your facility and community at the state and federal level.
National Rural Health Association Grassroots Advocacy
The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has a number of resources available to help you actively and easily participate in national advocacy efforts. NRHA's three main advocacy priority areas include: 1) addressing rural declining life expectancy and rural equity, 2) reducing rural health care workforce shortages and 3) investing in a strong rural safety net. Visit their Advocacy page to view advocacy guides, policy "leave behinds" documents, and current campaigns that you can support today!
OTHER LRHA ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES
|
COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES
LRHA is proud to participate and represent rural interests and needs on the following committees and task forces:
- Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force (HCR 44 - HCR 100 - HCR 87 - HCR 55)
- Louisiana Alzheimer's Coalition
- Louisiana Department of Health Review, Advise, and Inform Board
- Protecting Medicaid Coverage Roundtable
- Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line Advisory Board
- Whole Health Louisiana Steering Committee
- National Rural Health Association Government Affairs
Committee
- Louisiana Chronic Disease Collective
- Pennington Biomedical Greaux Healthy Advisory Committee