HEALTH CARE

Some of the most significant issues facing North Carolina residents related to healthcare are also prevalent across the country. In North Carolina, approximately 70 out of 100 counties are considered rural. Rural counties in NC have a significantly higher number of people who cannot afford health insurance nor qualify for Medicaid. Rural populations also make up over 40% of opioid overdoses in North Carolina. Another issue is the lack of revenue in rural hospitals so they are forced to close, and there are expectations that more will be closing in the next couple of years. North Carolina is third in the country for hospital closures. There is also a significant lack of healthcare providers in rural counties, most are working in urban hospitals. This increases the patient to doctor ratio, limiting the amount of exposure to a doctor and the amount of time that patients can spend with them. As a member of Congress, I will work hard to provide adequate supplemental funding for rural hospitals and introduce legislation that will prevent hospital closures. We cannot allow hospitals to close because of money, this is not acceptable in America. We as a nation must stop the opioid epidemic, too many people are dying, and it will continue getting worse unless we take immediate action. North Carolina recently expanded access to Medicaid, which is a step in the right direction. As a Representative I will work with state officials to continue the effort of providing residents with access to healthcare they can afford. My priorities will be to make sure no more hospitals close, hospitals have adequate resources including doctors, and North Carolina residents have healthcare coverage for any budget.