Living in a rural county shouldn't be a death sentence.

But sometimes, that's what it looks like.

It is no secret that rural counties and regions have seen more and more hospital and clinic closures, and health care is becoming even more difficult to access in these areas.

Right now, the VA is on the verge of cutting how much it will reimburse for ambulance services in rural areas. You and I may not utilize ambulance services very often, but for many veterans, more than a quarter of whom live in rural areas, an ambulance is necessary to get to the nearest hospital.

Reliable ambulance services are an essential need. If the VA cuts funding for this benefit, then veterans will either have to pick up the cost themselves or risk trying to get to the hospital on their own. Some will ultimately decide to just not go at all.

A truly terrible position to be in.

But it gets worse.

With hospital closures happening across rural states, millions of Americans are left to fend for themselves in the case of an emergency. That means when folks are in an accident or otherwise need help, the nearest hospital may be well over an hour away.

In fact, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, and South Dakota have no Level 1 trauma centers at all, and Utah, Washington, and Oregon have only one or two of these specialized facilities to serve a combined total of fifteen million people.

People are literally bleeding to death because hospitals are too far away. In Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, 63% of trauma victims die before reaching the hospital, while in the Northeast, the best performing region, only 41% of people die before arriving at the hospital.

It's clear, Americans need better access to healthcare, but especially rural Americans.

At One Country Project, we are bringing rural voices to Washington. Rural communities are left behind by extremists in Congress, and we need your help to fight for our friends and neighbors. Can you chip in today and help us fight for health care access in rural America? [[link removed]]

Let's fight for this together,

Heidi

Heidi Heitkamp, Former U.S. Senator for North Dakota Founder, One Country Project Express Donate:
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Founded by former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), the One Country Project is dedicated to reopening the dialogue with rural communities, rebuilding trust and respect, and advancing an opportunity agenda for rural Americans. Our mission is to ensure rural America’s priorities and values are heard, understood, well-represented and reflected in policy in Washington.
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If you're able, please join our rural champions program by making a recurring gift. Knowing we can count on your gift each month really helps.
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