Senate releases Labor-HHS appropriations report
The Senate Appropriations Committee released its fiscal year 2012 Labor-HHS report. The funding for many rural health care safety net programs is similar to fiscal year 2011 levels. The Committee provides $10.1 million for State Offices of Rural Health, the same as the fiscal year 2011 comparable level. The State Offices of Rural Health program helps states strengthen rural health care delivery systems by allowing them to better coordinate care and improve support and outreach in rural areas. Another important safety net program, the rural hospital flexibility grants, received $41.1 million, the same as the fiscal year 2011 comparable level. The budget request for fiscal year 2012 was $26.2 million. The Senate also recommends $319.8 million for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). This includes the $295 million appropriated for fiscal year 2012 in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The House has not released its appropriations yet. Please continue to monitor this blog and our website for full reports on the rural health care safety net programs. We will also update this blog with information related to the ongoing negotiations of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Please contact NRHA government affairs at (202) 639-0550 with any questions.