Savannah Standard

Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Shomari C. Figures (D-AL), Michael Rulli (R-OH), and Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) have introduced the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill aims to extend programs critical to increasing access to healthcare services in rural communities.

Rural regions face various challenges such as workforce shortages, transportation issues, facility closures, and health insurance coverage gaps, leading to higher mortality rates compared to urban areas. The proposed legislation seeks to address these issues by reauthorizing Rural Health Services Outreach programs, which aim to enhance access to healthcare services and screenings, improve chronic disease management, expand telehealth services, and reduce emergency department visits.

Rep. Carter stated, “Health care outcomes should not be dependent on a patient’s zip code. We must ensure that vitally important health services are able to reach people in all communities, which is exactly what the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Programs do. Reauthorizing these programs will continue President Trump’s legacy of supporting rural communities' chronic health care needs through flexible, community-driven solutions."

Supporting the bill, Rep. Figures noted, "Improving rural health care is one of my top priorities, and I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation. This bill reauthorizes critical programs that will strengthen access to quality health care in my district and other communities across the country."

Rep. Rulli underscored the importance, saying, “Week after week, we hear ridiculous stories of taxpayer money being sent to shadowy organizations overseas. Meanwhile, rural communities here at home are left behind, struggling to access the care they deserve. That’s why I’m proud to stand with Congressman Carter today in sponsoring the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025. This reauthorization ensures that grants supporting healthcare in our underserved communities will continue—and taxpayer dollars will go where they’re needed most: to the American people."

Rep. Schrier, a doctor, emphasized the necessity of supporting rural healthcare, noting the limited number of medical providers in rural areas. “The Eighth District is nearly 10,000 square miles, with many of my constituents living in rural communities that depend on a scarce number of medical providers in their area. In Congress, I’m focused on supporting rural health care to ensure that Americans can get care close to home. As a doctor, I understand the importance of rural clinics and hospitals. Without them, patients, including those in my district, would have to drive even farther to seek medical care. That’s dangerous in an emergency. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to extend key federal grants that strengthen rural health care."

Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, expressed support for the reauthorization efforts. “Rural residents often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare including workforce shortages, distance and transportation issues, healthcare facility closures. The Rural Health Care Services Outreach programs seek to break down these barriers by supporting community-driven initiatives to promote care coordination, chronic disease prevention, and sustainable health solutions in underserved rural areas. NRHA applauds Representatives Carter, Figures, Rulli, and Schrier for their efforts to reauthorize these critical programs and for their continual support of the health of rural communities."

The legislation, building on the 2020 CARES Act signed by President Trump, seeks to extend these programs through 2030, while ensuring that grant awards prioritize local rural needs.