{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-bill-to-drive-better-health-care-savings-in-rural-washington-passes-congress-", "Cantwell Bill to Drive Better Health Care, Savings in Rural Washington Passes Congress", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.07.16\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Bill to Drive Better Health Care, Savings in Rural Washington Passes Congress  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Cantwell also secures provisions to protect access to outpatient hospital services and new, innovative cancer treatments\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u00a0\u2013 Today, legislation originally introduced by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and John Thune (R-SD), was passed through Congress as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. The provision makes it easier to set up networks of health care providers known as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural and medically-underserved communities.\r\nAccountable Care Organizations, or ACOs, are groups of hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers who voluntarily join together to coordinate care for a specific patient population.\u00a0 ACOs have been shown to reduce health care costs for patients, clinics and hospitals by rewarding health care providers for working together to keep patients healthy.\r\nDoctor shortages in rural communities can make it difficult for rural health care providers to form ACOs. Cantwell\u2019s legislation makes it easier for ACOs to thrive in rural settings and brings more coordinated health care to Medicare beneficiaries residing in communities with doctor shortages.\r\n\u201cRural patients deserve access to well-coordinated health care. ACOs are a model for meeting rural communities\u2019 needs and empowering caregivers to focus on keeping people healthy.\u201d said Senator Cantwell. \u201cSmart changes to how health care is delivered can simultaneously improve the patient experience, achieve better health outcomes, and make health care more affordable.\u201d\r\nSince 2012, Medicare-sponsored ACOs have achieved more than $1.29 billion in Medicare savings.\u00a0 Fewer unnecessary medical tests and hospital trips can translate to lower co-pays for patients.\u00a0\r\nIn Washington state, the vast majority of counties are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas by the federal government.\u00a0Cantwell\u2019s provision aims to put rural communities with doctor shortages on an equal playing field with more urban and suburban communities.\r\nSpecifically, the legislation allows the Medicare program to incorporate primary care visits furnished in Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics in assigning beneficiaries to Medicare\u2019s Shared Savings Program ACO.\u00a0 This change makes it easier for ACOs to get off the ground and achieve long-term success in rural communities.\r\nAlso included as part of the 21st Century Cures Act were Cantwell-backed provisions to:\r\n \r\nPreserve access to routine services for patients who use Medicare at the clinics of small rural hospitals, such as Critical Access Hospitals. Washington is home to 39 Critical Access Hospitals, facilities specially designated to ensure that essential health services are provided to remote communities like Forks, Newport, and Brewster;\r\nBring life-saving new cancer treatments, like bone marrow transplants and immunotherapy, to the more convenient outpatient clinic setting;\r\nEnsure that Medicare beneficiaries who require complex rehabilitative technology, such as customized wheelchair accessories, can continue to access those products; and\r\nProvide more certainty for hospital-based outpatient clinics that are under construction.\r\n \r\nHere is what health leaders across Washington state had to say:\r\n\u201cWe thank Senator Cantwell for her work getting this provision into the 21st Century Cures Act. This legislation recognizes the doctor shortage in many Washington communities and will give more Medicare beneficiaries better access to high-quality, affordable primary care close to home,\u201d said Bob Marsalli, Chief Executive Officer of the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers.\r\n\u201cThe Cures bill takes important steps forward to address the unique challenges of providing health care in rural areas by maintaining access to therapy services and promoting new models of cost-effective care. Sen. Cantwell\u2019s support is helping patients continue to get high quality health care in their local communities,\u201d said Scott Bond, CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association.\r\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://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-bill-to-drive-better-health-care-savings-in-rural-washington-passes-congress-"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0810430869460106, "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"}