Political Quotes

“Over the past decade, more than 100 rural hospitals have been forced to close their doors, including 12 hospitals in Tennessee. These communities are now left without access to healthcare in general, let alone emergency care. Many rural hospitals across the Nation continue to face significant financial difficulties. As this crisis continues at a growing rate, current Federal regulations stand in the way, only allowing a free- standing emergency department within 35 miles of a hospital. My bill, the Rural ER Access Act, would repeal this ridiculous 35- mile rule to permit free-standing emergency departments to operate in the rural communities that need them the most. As an emergency medicine physician, I believe that we should and can make sure that rural Americans are not left without access to emergency care because of some unnecessary bureaucratic regulation. ____________________”