Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

Senator Larry Crowder is a leading voice for rural healthcare in Denver. Find out why he is "the 2015 Rural Health Care Champion."
Senator Crowder has 9 rural hospitals and several clinics in his district, but each of them has challenges finding providers. That is why Senator Crowder sponsored SB15-197. This important legislation cuts red tape and streamlines the process so Nurse Practitioners can provide healthcare as soon as possible to rural areas.

Rural healthcare in Colorado faced another challenge. Because of the combination of low wages across Southern Colorado, skyrocketing costs of health insurance, and unpaid medical bills totaling millions, our hospitals across Southern Colorado were in dire financial straits. Some were even threatening to close. Because of this, Senator Crowder supported HB 09-1293 and voted to expand Medicaid. This program provides health insurance to the working poor and gives our healthcare providers and hospitals a means of payment. This is important for our rural health care providers: they can upgrade their facilities, hire more specialists and offer more services, thus better serving our families and neighbors.

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