Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) recently introduced the Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone (PLACE) Act to allow regional hospitals in rural communities to continue to provide care.

Stefanik’s office said the bipartisan legislation would roll back a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) policy that would cut Medicare reimbursements by up to 60% for basic clinic visits at all multi-campus regional hospitals.

This legislation would help recoup a total of more than $58 million for area hospitals including Canton-Potsdam, Claxton-Hepburn and Massena Memorial.

“My district is home to many regional hospitals that are currently struggling under CMS’ new policy,” Stefanik said in a prepared statement. “Reducing Medicare reimbursements for these regional hospitals will result in the loss of a principal source of primary care for North Country families. This bipartisan legislation would prevent the CMS policy from being enacted so that rural community hospitals can continue to provide high quality, accessible health care to their patients.”

Her office said the bill is supported by the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals.