AAOS Endorses Legislation to Improve Rural Access to Care

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a steadfast advocate for expanding patients' access to high-quality care, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) again shared support for the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 2191) reintroduced by Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) and Lou Correa (D-CA). This legislation, originally introduced in the 118^th Congress, seeks to improve access to care in rural areas through the expansion of existing physician-led hospitals.

AAOS released a letter of support endorsing the legislation, highlighting how a removal of the physician ownership ban would:

• Ensure millions of rural Americans have access to healthcare services.
• Limit consolidation and address concerns about monopolies that could drive up costs.
• Create more opportunities to rescue rural hospitals on the cusp of closure.

"When physicians lead hospitals, patients win," noted Adam Bruggeman, MD, FAAOS, FAOrthA, chair of the AAOS Advocacy Council. "Physician-led hospitals are a powerful solution to the consolidation plaguing our healthcare system. By lifting outdated restrictions on physician ownership, we can drive down costs, improve quality, and expand access to care, especially in underserved rural areas."

LIFTING BARRIERS, ADVOCATING FOR PATIENTS
According to American Medical Association, the number of physician-led hospitals grew from fewer than 70 in the early 2000s to approximately 250 by 2010, driven by the demand for general acute care facilities in certain markets and the benefits of facility specialization in enhancing clinical operations and surgical procedures.

However, that growth came to a halt in 2010 with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which included a provision that effectively barred the expansion of existing physician-led hospitals and prohibited the establishment of new ones. H.R. 2191 proposes changes that would allow physicians to open new hospitals in rural areas provided they are more than 35 miles away from an existing hospital or critical access facility and permit grandfathered physician-led hospitals to expand.

AAOS previously joined a coalition of 86 medical organizations in urging Congress to lift the ban on physician-led hospitals and pass H.R. 2191. The coalition letter illustrated the value of physician-led hospitals in providing higher-quality care at lower costs compared to other hospitals.

"AAOS was founded on the mission of providing the highest quality musculoskeletal care. For millions of rural Americans, physician-led hospitals are a critical piece of the puzzle," said Annunziato Amendola, MD, FAAOS, FRCSC, DABOS, president of AAOS. "Our members recognize the value of legislation like the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act in bringing affordable, accessible care to underserved communities."

Read the full letter here.

About the AAOS
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Office of Government Relations promotes and advocates the viewpoint of the orthopaedic community before federal and state legislative, regulatory and executive agencies. Based in Washington, D.C., with additional staff in the AAOS' headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, the Office of Government Relations identifies, analyzes and directs all health policy activities and initiatives to position the AAOS as the trusted leaders in advancing musculoskeletal health.

For more information on all AAOS advocacy efforts, visit https://www.aaos.org/advocacy/ 

SOURCE American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons