Good-quality, affordable health care shouldn’t depend on your zip code

The challenge of finding quality, affordable health care is a topic I hear everywhere I go in my area of ​​Pennsylvania. As a member of the bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I am constantly working to find ways to expand and protect access to care for all members of our communities. Because your health care shouldn't depend on where you live. This is an important issue for both Democrats and Republicans. And that's a problem we need to solve together.

Approximately 60 million people live in rural areas across the United States, including more than one-third of Pennsylvanians. Access to health care in rural areas has been a recurring challenge across my district, and I'm pleased to see two of our hospital networks expand into more rural areas. These communities face a shortage of health care providers. actual, 26 percent of rural Pennsylvania residents Live in a federally designated health care worker shortage area. Making the situation even more dire, he says 30 percent of doctors currently practicing in rural areas intend to leave the workforce in the next five years. This is a huge issue for access to preventive care, which is critical to overall health and well-being.

That's why Congressman Dan Meuser (R-Pennsylvania) and I are pushing to pass this bipartisan bill. Act on the fairness of local teaching hospitals. The bill would update the calculations used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to make rural teaching hospitals more expensive for the work they do in training the next generation of rural physicians, an important job. and ensure that they receive fair reimbursement. To combat the shortage of health care providers in our communities.

Ensuring that rural hospitals receive the funding they need is key to attracting, training, and retaining talented health professionals in all communities. That way, people who need quality, affordable health care can find it no matter where they live.

In addition to retaining health care providers to serve rural areas, we need to prevent discrimination against hospitals and clinics participating in the 340B drug pricing program, where many rural areas rely on lower prescription drug prices. be. Under no circumstances should pharmacy benefit managers, insurance companies, and drug companies be allowed to undermine affordable savings for American families. That's why I support bipartisan policies. Protect 340B Act That way, you can't compromise patient choice.

Additionally, with healthcare increasingly taking place outside of hospitals and doctor's offices, we need to expand access to affordable, high-speed internet. Telehealth appointments offer flexibility and convenience that are appealing to many patients. However, these reservations require a reliable internet connection, which is often inaccessible in rural areas. The Affordable Connectivity Program, created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, has begun to address this issue by providing broadband subsidies to more than 36,000 households in Pennsylvania's 7th District. Also, his $1.2 billion fund from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act will be sent to the Commonwealth to fund broadband infrastructure. . I'm an advocate for investments in high-speed internet in every corner of my district, ensuring every Pennsylvania household has affordable internet access, and telehealth. We are continuing to work on making our services more available.

I believe that health care is a human right and that everyone, regardless of their zip code, is entitled to quality, affordable health care. I will continue to fight to ensure that my community, and all communities, can see a doctor, buy their medicine, and feel the peace of mind that quality health care brings. No one deserves less.

Susan Wilde represents Pennsylvania's 7th District.