Protect Access to Care for West Virginia’s Rural Communities

As the Republican Party takes control of Congress and President Donald Trump takes office, Republicans in Washington have named health care reform to be their No. 1 priority for reform in 2017. As they begin to get to work and debate the policy that is best for the American people, I call on them to remember the rural, elderly, and impoverished communities across West Virginia.

Repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, which is the current policy discussions in Congress, should, above all else, ensure that everyone gets the care they need, regardless of where they live or their financial situation. One factor of the replacement that members of Congress must be sure to consider as they repeal the old policy is the continued funding of hospitals.

The Affordable Care Act cut payments to hospitals through Medicare and Medicaid in favor of increased payments that were to be delivered through insured patients. But for many rural areas, this was not sustainable. Over 70 hospitals across the country have been forced to shut down because they simply could not afford to operate with these cuts. Many other hospitals chose to limit the services they offered and the hours of their facilities in order to make ends meet. This year's likely health care reform must address this funding issue.

Hospitals are so incredibly important to our health care system, especially here in West Virginia. When someone has a medical emergency, the first line of defense is the hospital and its staff. If a woman is about to go into labor, 98 percent of the time she will go to the hospital. When a poor family has to see a doctor, more often than not, they go to their local hospital.

Rural hospitals will be hit the hardest if this problem is not fixed through thoughtful legislation. These hospitals rely on Medicare and Medicaid for nearly half of their funding, and if they do not receive adequate funding, they will be in serious danger of being forced to close their doors. If this happens, many West Virginia families may have to travel for over an hour to receive the treatment they need.

As a West Virginia State Grange member and a leader in my community, I believe that the health care needs of rural Americans must be top of mind for our legislators. All too often, the needs of rural America are forgotten when Washington makes policy. That is why our National Grange organization was founded in 1867 - to be a national organization with a local focus. And that is why today, I fight for those of us in rural America, with our roots in agriculture, to receive the same health care priority and treatment as the rest of our country.

The Grange will do all we can to advocate for the continued support and operation of our community hospitals. To do that, we need our West Virginia local and rural hospitals to keep operating so that they can continue to serve those in our communities who are most in need.

Our members of Congress have made promises to better our communities and to advocate for the needs of our people. So now I call on them to take charge and keep their promises by reforming our health care system in a responsible manner that does not disrupt any access to care. I urge Congress to pass health care reform legislation that adequately funds our vitally important rural hospitals across the country, especially in my home state of West Virginia.