Rep. Terri Sewell holds rural healthcare roundtable in Demopolis
DEMOPOLIS, Ala. (WAKA) – This week is National Public Health Week, and it’s a chance to recognize the contributions that public health professionals make every day, while also highlighting issues hospitals face.
In Demopolis, Congresswoman Terri Sewell hosted a rural health roundtable to hear directly from health care providers and hospital officials about the challenges they’re facing.
Rural healthcare providers and administrators from hospitals around the 7th Congressional District attended the event.
Among those challenges are federal cuts to healthcare programs.
Sewell shared her belief that healthcare should be a right for every American — and not a privilege for some. She also highlighted her efforts in Congress to address the rural healthcare crisis.
“Back in Washington, I have worked to champion legislation that will ease the burden of rural health providers. Last week, I reintroduced the Save Struggling Hospital Act. It’s just unfair that we, in Alabama, get reimbursed on a much lower rate than many of the other states. And it makes it really, really hard for our wonderful hospitals to keep their doors open,” says Rep. Terri Sewell, (D) Alabama.
Hospital leaders say they were grateful for someone, like Sewell, who helps advocate on their behalf.
“Each of us got to spend time with Congresswoman Sewell, and it is such a blessing to be able to tell her the problems that we are experiencing day to day, minute by minute,” says Doug Brewer, the CEO of Whitfield Regional Hospital.
Sewell also visited a dialysis center during her visit to Demopolis.
