Stauber Fights to Retain Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital’s Designation as a Critical Access Hospital
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency not to revoke the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital’s (EBCH) designation as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH).
Congressman Stauber stated, “Not only is the decision to take away the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital’s Critical Access Hospital designation based on a technicality that is not accurate, but it would do significant harm to the Ely community. Without this designation, hospital operations will be impacted, and many residents of this community will be forced to travel long distances to receive care. Our rural communities deserve better, so I will continue to apply pressure on CMS to ensure this decision is reversed.”
On December 11th, EBCH was informed by CMS that the hospital is now located in an area that is no longer considered rural. Due to an increase in population in the City of Duluth, St. Louis County is now considered an urban county, which is why the hospital no longer qualifies for CAH status. However, this change does not reflect the reality of the community that EBCH serves, which has a population under 15,000 people.
Read the full letter HERE.
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