National Rural Health Association

Join your colleagues May 19-21 in Savannah, Ga., for NRHA's 33rd Annual Rural Health Conference. Featuring more than 50 educational, practical and cost-saving sessions, this event is designed to connect and inform all rural health professionals. Exclusive tracks are planned for rural health policy, HIT and hospitals, clinic management, education and research, rural community, leadership development, and state health resources. Also plan to arrive early for the Rural Medical Educators Conference May 18. Register before April 16 to save. View Full Story

Yesterday the Senate passed H.R. 4213, The Tax Extenders Act of 2009.  The bill, which would primarily extend unemployment benefits to jobless Americans, was amended by Senator Max Baucus to include the extensions of the Medicare add-on payments for rural America that NRHA has been fighting for over the past year.  Also included in the bill was the SGR “Doc Fix” a provision that would prevent 21% cuts in Medicare reimbursement for doctors.  Most of the add-on payments have been extended until December 31, 2010 or January 1, 2011 while the “Doc Fix” has is only extended through September 31, 2010 when Congress will presumably work to find a permanent solution to this problem.  H.R. 4213 passed the senate by a final vote of 62-36, garnering the votes of six Senate Republicans.  The bill must now go back to the House of Representatives and be passed as amended by the Senate before it can be signed into law.  View Full Story

The National Rural Health Association has scholarship funds available for students and community members with a critical need for financial support with conference expenses. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to people who meet the eligibility criteria specified on the application and who are unable to attend the conference without such support. Five students and five community members will each be awarded $1,000 to offset the cost of attendance.

Click here to download the application. E-mail completed applications to Gabriela Boscan at gboscan@NRHArural.org by March 31 to be considered for a scholarship.  View Full Story