Congressman Bennie G. Thompson Announces Greenwood Leflore Hospital Selected for Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS 02) announced today that Greenwood Leflore Hospital has been selected to participate in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program, a federal initiative aimed at supporting health care access and sustainability in rural communities.

The program, administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is designed to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement for small rural hospitals that are too large to be designated as Critical Access Hospitals. Through this program, CMS will assess both the financial impact on hospitals and the effect on health care delivery in the populations they serve.

“This is a meaningful victory for Greenwood Leflore Hospital and the rural communities that depend on it,” said Congressman Thompson. “For far too long, rural hospitals have operated at a disadvantage, being underfunded, understaffed, and overburdened. This program is a step toward leveling the playing field, giving hospitals the resources they need to provide quality care and remain open.”

Participation in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program will provide Greenwood Leflore Hospital with more stable and equitable reimbursement under Medicare, helping to ensure it can continue serving patients in Leflore County and across the Mississippi Delta.

“Every Mississippian, no matter where they live, deserves access to reliable, high quality health care,” Thompson added. “I will keep fighting to make sure our rural hospitals get the support they need to meet that promise.”