Rural healthcare in UP / N. Michigan should've been a major Congressional priority

I am proud to have been physician in the rural UP for over 30 years, but federally we have a lot of work to do to ensure everyone has access to care.

I've practiced medicine in rural areas for 30 years — Iron River, Crystal Falls, and KI Sawyer. Congress isn't doing enough to advocate for accessible healthcare for Michigan's most vulnerable patients.

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Good morning. Last November, voters in conservative, rural Dunn County, Wisconsin passed a referendum asking Congress to pursue a "publicly financed, non-profit, national health insurance program that would fully cover medical care costs for all Americans." Its passing in a red county proves that a growing majority of Americans — liberal and conservative — are tired of a broken, predatory health insurance system that reaps huge profits when we age and get sick. Imagine having a medical emergency when the closest ER is over 60 minutes away, the ambulance service is short-staffed, and response time is delayed. Imagine having a sick child, but there are no physicians or hospital beds within an hour's drive of your community. What if there aren't enough nurses and other professionals to take care of you? This is the reality facing too many citizens in the 1st District, counties like Dunn, and all across rural America. It's high time someone does something about it. We must address these problems by working with local, state, and federal resources to implement final solutions. We have very successful models, but they need to be a funding priority. Privatizing healthcare completely -- a goal of many misguided Republicans in office -- will be at the dire expense of rural care accessibility. Our Congressman voted against medical care expansion and nineteen Michigan rural hospitals are at risk of closing because of financial losses and a lack of financial reserves. It could reduce the amount of rural care by over 30%. Saving Rural Hospitals Millions of Americans live in rural communities that don't have essential healthcare services, such as hospitals, emergency rooms, or primary care clinics. They face long delays in getting care if they're in an accident or have symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, or an infectious disease such as COVID-19. Even if they have insurance to pay for health care services, there is nowhere they can use it in their community. Nearly 90% of RN respondents consider leaving an already critically short-staffed nursing profession within one year if staffing issues, poor environments, and patient flow challenges go unaddressed. These are the issues I will work on. I am passionate about this, education, childcare, affordable housing, livable wages, infrastructure, and the future solvency of social security and Medicare. Let's work together to problem solve and unelect politicians who make problems worse. Thank you for considering a contribution to the Rural Fund so we can advocate for Democratic principles across Michigan's 1st District. -Dr. Bob Lorinser [email protected] VoteDrBob.com

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