Rural Issue

Bill to address rural health workforce introduced in U.S. Senate

Bipartisan legislation to strengthen rural healthcare has been introduced in the U.S. Senate.

Minnesota Democrat Tina Smith and Wyoming Republican John Barrasso are co-authors of the Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019.

Smith tells Brownfield the bill would get to the root of a major problem in Rural America.

“I’ve been focused on this because I’ve visited so many rural doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals, and everywhere I hear how difficult it can be to recruit and retain physicians and other healthcare provides in rural communities.”

She says the bill provides help to train more primary care physicians for rural areas.

“Right now we have a loan forgiveness program, but we want to make sure that’s targeted as much as possible in rural communities that need it the most.”

Smith says the Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act would also establish a commission to identify and remove barriers to rural health workforce recruitment and retention efforts.

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