Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Representative Jason Smith (R-Mo.), the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, penned an op-ed for The Hill on the importance of rural healthcare in America.  

“Despite improvements in the quality and delivery of health care in America, few in Washington comprehend the barriers to care rural Americans still suffer. Across the board, rural Americans face distinct health challenges compared to folks living in urban areas and are often sicker, spend more money on health care costs, and have access to fewer doctors and hospitals. We know this firsthand because we have seen it ourselves. We both grew up in Midwest towns, raised in blue collar families, where access to medicine, a hospital, or even a doctor could hinge on the digits in your zip code.

“But these challenges are not a thing of the past. If you have a health crisis in Shannon County, Mo., for instance, you lack 9-1-1 services in your county. Pregnant mothers in Pike County, Ind., must travel significant distances for prenatal care, because there are no obstetric wards, birthing centers, OB/GYN services, or certified midwives in the county. These are today’s painful realities of access to and availability of care in rural towns across our country,” the lawmakers wrote. 

Read the full op-ed here.