Rural Hospital Fund Talks for Tax Deal Persist Amid Scrutiny (2)

Some Senate Republicans are pushing to include billions of dollars in their tax and spending bill to support rural hospitals, to help soften the blow of other cuts in the legislation.

Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) floated the idea of a provider relief fund last week that would be reserved for rural hospitals, community health centers, and nursing homes. On Tuesday, she and other Senate GOP lawmakers said discussions were ongoing despite questions from some Democratic lawmakers and policy experts about how effective a fund would be. When questioned about the level of funding, Collins said she is asking ...