{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=f7d66185-0176-447d-a1d6-0490defa64bf", "MISS SENATORS SAY FEDERAL REGS DONT ACCOUNT FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE DYNAMICS, NEEDS", "2014-10-09", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) are pushing the Obama administration to more effectively consider the effects its federal rules and regulations have on the delivery of health care in rural areas.\r\nThe Mississippi Senators are among 34 who have signed a letter to Marilyn B. Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that asks her to provide comprehensive details about the CMS rulemaking process and how rural health care concerns are addressed.\u00a0 The Senators assert that recent policy decisions have not adequately reflected the reality of health delivery in rural areas.\r\n\u00a0\u201cA one size fits all approach to health care regulations too often puts rural residents at a disadvantage and makes access to care more difficult.\u00a0 This letter is a warning to the administration that our constituents deserve better,\u201d said Cochran, who serves on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that inserted provisions in a FY2014 law directing CMS to coordinate with the Office of Rural Health Policy when developing rules.\r\n\u201cThe Obama Administration should not overlook the consequences of burdensome regulations on rural health-care providers,\u201d said Wicker.\u00a0 \u201cMany Americans living in these areas face unique obstacles to accessing quality health care.\u00a0 These new rules should be thoroughly reviewed to prevent harmful effects on providers and patients.\u201d\r\nSpearheaded by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), the letter cited several recent policies that make it more difficult for rural health care providers and facilities to serve rural populations.\r\n\u201cWe remain concerned these policy decisions do not reflect the reality of providing care in rural communities, and we request additional details on these consultation efforts in advance of future rulemaking,\u201d the Senators wrote.\r\n\u201cThe proportion of elderly rural Americans continues to grow, and even small policy changes or incremental payment adjustments have a significant impact on access to care in rural areas. Medicare beneficiaries should be able to obtain care within their own communities when possible, and we are committed to ensuring federal policies recognize and incorporate the unique challenges rural providers face,\u201d the letter said.\r\nIn addition to Cochran and Wicker, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), John Tester (D-Mont.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), and David Vitter (R-La.),\r\nThe National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) both support the Senators\u2019 letter.\r\nA copy of the signed letter is available below.\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.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=f7d66185-0176-447d-a1d6-0490defa64bf"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.653220970183611, "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"}