Rural Hospitals Have Hit A Crisis Point

Floor Speech

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Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, we have reached a crisis in our healthcare system across our country. Over 180 hospitals, many of them rural hospitals, have closed nationwide since 2005.

Last month, the only hospital serving adults in Madera County was closed. Hospitals like Kaweah Health in Visalia, California, are sounding the alarm about higher costs and low Medicare reimbursement rates.

What are we talking about here?

We are talking about access to critical healthcare, emergency room services, critical care beds, elective surgery options, and women being able to have a place to give birth safely. We are talking about having access to healthcare in rural areas and throughout the country.

Congress must act now before more hospitals close. We must improve reimbursement rates and address staffing shortages, nursing shortages, physician shortages.

Hospitals have hit a crisis point. If we do not act now, a nationwide healthcare crisis will be upon us.

My mother once said: ``Jim, if you don't have good health, you don't have anything.'' Every American deserves access to healthcare.

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