Quentin Gee

“I am in a rural area of Pennsylvania, that for generations relied on local doctors that personally knew the families they were treating and providing healthcare. In the last decade we have seen, large healthcare systems come into the rural areas and take over. Initially it worked and also helped provide for a failing system in rural PA, control over the hospitals and clinics were left to local control. This system worked because it allowed impoverished families to get treatment, pay bills or work with the local administrators to have bills dismissed when they had no ability to pay them.

In recent years that local authority has been removed and administrators dismissed in rural communities. Currently all these decisions are now made in bigger cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia by individuals who have no face to face interactions and are up to 4.5 hours away from the individuals and families seeking relief. Our VA healthcare in various rural areas is also suffering due to lack of doctors willing to work in remote location. With the current VA system of community care we can partner rural healthcare systems and the VA system to benefit both veterans and local communities to help fill the doctor vacancies and to bring more resources to the rural communities. Finally, we must ensure communities know what charity care program is and that all non-profit healthcare systems are required to provide it to communities.”

Statement submitted by campaign or congressional office