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| John, Rural communities are far too often left out of the conversations in Washington. This has harmed our economies, health care facilities, access to nutritious food, and so much more. But now, the coronavirus poses a new threat to our rural communities. Folks in rural America are on average older, sicker, and poorer; less likely to have health insurance; and more likely to have risk factors for coronavirus like heart-disease, diabetes and asthma. Rural towns are often farther away from hospitals, and those hospitals are often under-resourced, so they are uniquely at risk for this pandemic. All these factors combined mean that the coronavirus can be particularly deadly for rural communities like those here in Iowa’s 4th District. Rural parts of the country have already been struggling, and this coronavirus threatens to make matters worse. I’m calling on Congress to make sure rural hospitals have the resources they need and that our communities have increased access to and funding for health care services. Join me and add your name today. A pandemic like this hasn’t been seen in generations, and it’s exposing our crumbling health care infrastructure in rural America. Hospital closures and consolidation have crippled rural America’s ability to tackle COVID-19. According to a Kaiser Health News report, there are 18 million people living in counties with a hospital but no intensive care unit. That means if a person requires more advanced machines and technology for treatment, they have to travel a ways to get the treatment they need. That’s not to mention the quality of the ICU -- some of our local units are under-resourced and can only take in so many patients at a time. Of course, there are so many issues we need to address in our country during and after this pandemic, and supporting rural hospitals and health care infrastructure has to be one of them. Add your name to a petition I am circulating about the need for us to improve health care access and quality in rural America. Thank you for adding your name. This crisis is heartbreaking to watch, but I’ve been heartened to see how people in our communities support each other from a distance. I hope you and your loved ones are safe at this time. Standing Tall For All, J.D.  |
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