Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize November 21 as National Rural Health Day. Nearly 60 million Americans call rural America home. It is a great place to live, to work, and to raise a family. To ensure the vitality and vibrancy of rural America, investments in infrastructure, technology, and healthcare are critical. Americans in every corner of the Nation deserve access to reliable, quality healthcare, but rural America faces its own unique health challenges that need to be addressed. Sadly, rural Americans are more likely than those in urban areas to die prematurely from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke, the Nation's five leading causes of death. Rural America is no stranger to healthcare struggles, including long distances to the closest hospital, many uninsured or underinsured residents, and a larger number of aging residents with chronic conditions. Another issue is simply the lack of doctors and providers. There are only 40 physicians for every 100,000 people in rural America. This leads to unserved patients and overworked medical professionals. One way to address these issues is through telemedicine. Telemedicine can reduce healthcare barriers, increase access, and bolster convenience for millions of Americans. Telemedicine is critical in ensuring increased access to care for Americans who live many miles away from a hospital or a doctor's office.…”