WC Wisconsin News

Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) recently convened a healthcare roundtable in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The event was designed to facilitate dialogue between federal, state, and local elected officials and healthcare representatives about the Congressman's healthcare legislative priorities and strategies for enhancing medical care access in the Third District.

During this gathering, Congressman Van Orden announced his new bill, the Rural Healthcare Revitalization Act of 2024. This proposed legislation would allow states to request waivers that, if approved, would enable them to circumvent restrictions on establishing new medical facilities in the event of small hospital closures within their regions.

After the roundtable, Congressman Van Orden shared his thoughts: "I held this roundtable in Eau Claire today with local and state elected officials and healthcare representatives because rural Wisconsinites should not be pushed to the sidelines ever, but especially when it comes to medical care. Folks are still struggling to find accessible healthcare following the HSHS and Prevea Health closures in western Wisconsin, and I want to make sure we are doing all we can to get these people the resources they deserve."

He further explained his motivations behind introducing the Rural Healthcare Revitalization Act of 2024: "If a small hospital closes, there must be a plan to fill in the healthcare gap so our rural residents can continue to access quality medical care."

Congressman Van Orden has taken several actions aimed at improving healthcare access for rural America. These include co-introducing H.R. 8154 - a bill that would permanently extend telehealth services for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics; writing letters to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin State Legislature urging them to use state and federal resources for providing medical care alternatives in rural Wisconsin; and requesting Community Project Funding (CPF) on behalf of Chippewa County following the closure of a mortuary facility at HSHS.