{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://abraham.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/abraham-delegation-secure-more-money-22-louisiana-hospitals", "Abraham, delegation secure more money for 22 Louisiana hospitals", "2016-09-28", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "LA", "Ralph Abraham", "A000374", "abraham.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-Alto, has secured additional funding for 22 rural hospitals throughout Louisiana after he and other members of the Louisiana delegation successfully convinced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to revisit a ruling that affected these hospitals\u2019 Medicaid reimbursement amounts.\nCMS approves Disproportionate Share Hospital funds to Louisiana\u2019s small rural hospitals (fewer than 60 beds) as required by the Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA). These payments are based upon estimates of these hospitals\u2019 future anticipated Uncompensated Care Costs.\nShould audits prove that a hospital has been overpaid through this system, those hospitals must pay back any excess money. However, CMS initially ruled that the recouped overpayments could not be used to better compensate hospitals that had been underpaid.\nDr. Abraham wrote a letter to CMS in September requesting that the agency revisit its decision and redistribute the overpaid funds to 22 rural hospitals that had been underpaid. Joining him on the letter were Sens. David Vitter and Bill Cassidy and Reps. Charles Boustany and John Fleming.\nDr. Abraham received word this week that CMS would in fact honor his and the delegation\u2019s request, and the rural hospitals will receive more money.\n\u201cAs a family doctor with a rural practice, I know firsthand how important Louisiana\u2019s rural hospitals are for the health of those of us who live out in the country. Unfortunately, too many of these hospitals have to fight for every dollar they can get just so they can continue their mission of helping these underserved areas. I appreciate CMS for agreeing these hospitals deserve more money. Rural Louisianians deserve access to high quality medical care, and I will always fight for them,\u201d Dr. Abraham said.\nRural Hospital Coalition Executive Director Charles Castille said, \u201cOn behalf of the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition, I want to thank Rep. Abraham for his assistance in getting CMS to reconsider their decision to not allow redistribution of these funds. This redistribution will be of significant benefit to our struggling rural hospitals in Louisiana.\"\nThe precise amounts of how much each hospital will receive has yet to be determined, however, because each affected hospital was underpaid they will receive some amount of money.\nHospitals in Louisiana\u2019s 5th District, which Dr. Abraham represents, that will receive money include:\n Winn Parish Medical Center, Winnfield\n\tMorehouse General Hospital, Bastrop\n\tEast Carroll Parish Hospital, Lake Providence\n\tWest Feliciana Parish Hospital, St. Francisville\n\tRiverland Medical Center, Ferriday\n\tMadison Parish Hospital, Tallulah\n\tHood Memorial Hospital, Amite\n\tRichardson Medical Center, Rayville\n\tCitizens Medical Center, Columbia\n\tRichland Parish Hospital, Delhi\n\tJackson Parish Hospital, Jonesboro\n Other hospitals that will receive money include:\n DeSoto Regional Health System, Mansfield\n\tBienville Medical Center, Arcadia\n\tAssumption Community Hospital, Napoleonville\n\tDequincy Memorial Hospital, Dequincy\n\tSabine Medical Center, Many\n\tSt. Martin Hospital, Breaux Bridge\n\tReeves Memorial Medical Center, Bernice\n\tFranklin Foundation Hospital, Franklin\n\tSt. James Parish Hospital, Lutcher\n\tAcadia-St. Landry Hospital, Church Point\n\tPrevost Memorial Hospital, Donaldsonville\n \u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://abraham.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/abraham-delegation-secure-more-money-22-louisiana-hospitals"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1062389239668846, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}