Southern West Virginia News

Today, the Ways and Means Committee passed the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites (PEAKS) Act, Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act, and a provision within the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act. These bills were introduced by Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) to ensure fair compensation for rural hospitals' ambulatory services, allow hospice providers to complete patient recertification via telehealth, and extend Medicare hospital payments.

Congresswoman Miller stated, “The health care bills that passed the Ways and Means Committee are wins for West Virginia and rural America. These bills ensure hospice providers, rural hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals have the resources needed to provide the best care to their patients. Today was a step forward for rural health care access and I am confident these bills will make a positive difference in providing care across America.”

The PEAKS Act aims to ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas receive fair compensation for ambulance services and modify distance requirements. In her statement on this matter, Congresswoman Miller said: “Unfortunately, when the ‘mountainous terrain exception’ was created, parity was not included for ambulance services. This means that even though these mountainous Critical Access Hospitals qualify for the designation with a 15-mile radius, their ambulance services must still meet the standard 35-mile radius requirement. My bill fixes this issue by simply allowing Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas to receive fair compensation for their ambulance services."

Chairman Jason Smith added: “Millions of Americans living in remote areas rely on the care provided to them by their local hospital; unfortunately those same local hospitals often struggle with financials of operating things like reliable ambulance services for patients. Rep. Miller’s bill permanently improves access to emergency services for patients by providing fair compensation for ambulance services in mountainous and remote areas.”

The Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act and ARCH Act were included in the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act. The Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act would allow hospice providers to use telehealth to conduct face-to-face visits required for hospice recertification and allows for CMS to track what telehealth hospice recertifications are furnished through telehealth.

Congresswoman Miller stated: “I’m also pleased that this package includes language from one of my bills, the Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act, which will allow hospice providers to use telehealth to conduct the face-to-face visit required for hospice recertification after 180 days in hospice care. This provision keeps in line with existing hospice telehealth rules and makes sure that patients can remain in the comfort of their home at the close of their life.”

A provision within the ARCH Act, which would extend Medicare low-volume and Medicare-dependent hospital payments through Fiscal Year 2025, was also included in the package. “I’m also encouraged to see much needed rural health extenders included as part of this bill. With the inclusion of mine and Congresswoman Sewell’s ARCH Act, this bill will extend Medicare-dependent and Medicare low-volume payments to hospitals through Fiscal Year 2025," said Congresswoman Miller.