Ensuring access to high quality, affordable health care is essential for everyone, but especially challenging for folks who live in rural Northwest Washington communities.

In Washington, our rural hospitals serve upwards of 70% of the geographic area and 15% of our population. What sets rural hospitals apart from their counterparts in more densely populated areas? They create critical connections for local health care services and a bridge to specialized care outside the community at bigger medical facilities.

My goal is to better understand and address the unique challenges rural communities face in delivering health care to enable all people to live healthy lives, so that is why I have joined a bipartisan Congressional Caucus on rural health.

Here is what I will be working on with the caucus:

• Improving access to specialized substance abuse prevention and treatment
• Breaking down barriers for military families and veterans
• Increasing the number of beds for long-term care and pediatric behavioral health
• Addressing workforce shortages
• Improving access to reproductive health care

Of course, I will continue to champion federal investments in resources and innovative solutions to lower drug prices and improve health care access and outcomes in rural communities.

I am excited to get to work with the caucus to improve health outcomes for every zip code. If you would like to support this effort, consider chipping in to my re-election campaign.

Rick