Political Quotes

“I rise today with a warning--no, a plea. Rural America is already in crisis. People there die younger. Mothers face greater risks when giving birth. Hospitals teeter on the edge of collapse. Medicaid is the thin lifeline holding together that fragile system. Cut it and people will die. At Adventist Health Castle in Kailua, 75 percent of patients rely on Medicaid and Medicare. They have already weathered the storm of COVID. With new GOP-led cuts to provider fees, they may be forced to shut down essential services--obstetrics, pediatrics, and emergency services, care that literally keeps babies and people alive. This is not just about one hospital in Hawaii. This is a national crisis. Rural Americans face significantly worse health outcomes and health disparities. In too many rural counties, life expectancy is a decade shorter than that of their urban neighbors. Maternal mortality in rural areas is nearly double that of urban areas, and more than 200 rural hospitals have closed their doors since 2005. Over 450 more are currently at risk of shutting their doors. This isn't hypothetical. It is happening right now. Let's be clear: When these providers and hospitals close their doors, everyone in those communities, including, by the way, some Members of Congress and their families, will lose their healthcare.”