[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 186 (Tuesday, November 14, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING RURAL HEALTH WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week is Rural Health 
Week in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a time to promote 
awareness of the full range of issues that impact rural health 
throughout the State and the health status of rural Pennsylvanians.
  Nationally, 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 also face unique healthcare concerns, a lack of 
providers, accessibility issues, particularly in terms of 
transportation and technology, and 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 serve in the House of 
Representatives, I spent nearly 30 years in the nonprofit healthcare 
field, assisting those with 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 the Fifth Congressional District of Pennsylvania.
  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 doesn't equal 
access to care. Rural hospitals across the country are closing, leaving 
patients without access to their emergency rooms and long-term 
healthcare facilities.
  Eighty rural hospitals in the United States have closed since 2010. 
One in three rural hospitals are financially vulnerable. At the current 
closure rate, more than 25 percent of rural hospitals will close in 
less than a decade.
  In addition to hospital closures, a workforce shortage plagues rural 
America. Seventy-seven percent of more than 2,000 rural counties in the 
United States are designated as having a shortage of healthcare 
professionals. Recruitment and retention of experienced professionals, 
including primary care physicians, is an ongoing challenge.
  Furthermore, the opioid crisis that is sweeping the Nation has 
ravaged our rural communities, leaving even more of the population in 
need of crucial health services. Adolescents and young adults living in 
rural areas are more vulnerable to opioid abuse than their urban 
counterparts.
  The prevalence of fatal drug overdoses has skyrocketed in rural 
areas. High unemployment and a greater rate of the types of injuries 
that result in prescriptions for opioid medications have contributed to 
this. But there are ways to increase treatment options.
  Just last week, the House approved a bill that I introduced that 
would expand healthcare access for our veterans through telemedicine. 
The bill allows VA-credentialed healthcare providers to practice 
telemedicine across State lines.
  Mr. Speaker, our veterans should receive the best care possible, no 
matter where they are located. With advances in technology, we see new 
opportunities for veterans to obtain coverage through telemedicine, 
especially in some of our most rural areas.
  As we celebrate National Rural Health Day this Thursday, it is my 
hope that we continue to strive for a 21st century healthcare system 
that works for everyone in America. With technology today, we have the 
opportunity to expand services, regardless of where one resides, 
particularly for those in rural regions where the need is great and the 
services are scarce.

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