A group of congressmen will introduce legislation today designed to make rural health care more accessible and affordable.

The group includes U.S. Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., and Glenn Poshard, D-Ill.

Poshard is co-chairman of the U.S. House Rural Health Care Coalition. Emerson is outreach coordinator for the group of more than 130 House members.

Emerson and Poshard joined co-chairman, Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, at a Washington press conference Wednesday to unveil the Rural Health Improvement Act of 1997.

The bill would:

-- Equalize Medicare reimbursements for rural America by establishing a minimum payment to plans participating in the HMO risk-contract program.

-- Strengthen rural doctor recruitment by providing incentives to practice in rural areas.

-- Encourage rural telemedicine by requiring the Health Care Financing Administration to implement Medicare reimbursement policies for telemedicine services.

-- Provide anti-trust relief for rural health care providers by urging the Federal Trade Commission to review the impact of guidelines regulating the establishment of doctor and hospital networks.

-- Encourage development of rural health networks by making technical changes to the existing rural health grant programs.

-- Designate limited-service hospitals for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Such hospitals would have at most 15 beds and could keep patients for a maximum of 96 hours.

"Rural Americans face very unique challenges when it comes to accessing affordable health care," Emerson said.

"Working as a bloc of more than 130 lawmakers from coast to coast, the Rural Health Care Coalition will be a key player in the future outcome of health care reform and other health-related policies," she said.

Poshard said, "From my first days in the House, I have been privileged to work with a bipartisan group that cares about the people they represent and their health care needs."

Nussle said rural Iowa and the rest of rural America have a problem accessing health care in a timely manner.