Political Quotes

“This week is Rural Health Week in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and today is National Rural Health Day. It is a time to promote awareness of the full range of issues that impact approximately 60 million rural Americans. Pennsylvania ranks as one of the States with the highest number of rural residents, with 23 percent of Pennsylvanians residing in rural areas. Rural communities face unique healthcare concerns, such as a lack of providers; accessibility issues, particularly in terms of transportation and technology; affordability issues as a result of larger percentages of uninsured and underinsured citizens; and greater out-of-pocket health costs. Mr. Speaker, before I was elected to the House of Representatives, I spent nearly 30 years in the nonprofit healthcare field assisting those facing life-changing diseases and disabilities. I am acutely aware of the challenges many face when it comes to obtaining reasonably priced healthcare. It is especially critical for rural America, like much of my congressional district. We are facing a healthcare crisis in our Nation's rural areas. These often disadvantaged populations are still struggling to access affordable quality care. Many remain uninsured; most are underinsured. However, access to quality care remains the largest challenge. Even when people gain access to health insurance, it does not equal access to care.…”