WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, today attended a hearing of the committee entitled “Caring for Veterans in Rural Areas.” In response to the hearing, Brown issued the following statement:

In Ohio, there are more than one million veterans and that number is growing rapidly as men and women return from Iraq, Afghanistan and other deployments throughout the world.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 39 percent of our veterans nationwide—more than nine million veterans—live in rural areas of the country.  These brave men and women were made a solemn promise that if they defended our country, we would provide them with services they have earned and deserve.

But these veterans face a different reality.  Veterans in rural America—in rural Ohio—face barriers to a healthy transition to civilian life. From a lack of access to VA facilities to a lack of VA reimbursements for community hospitals, rural veterans are struggling to regain a healthful life.

And that’s why this hearing is so important and why I thank Chairman Akaka and Ranking Member Burr for holding it. I also want to thank those of you testifying today for your commitment to strengthening access to health care and services for veterans in rural areas.

Last year, I held a joint field hearing with Congressman Zach Space (OH-18) that examined issues facing veterans in Appalachia. During the hearing, I heard from Terry Carson, the CEO of Harrison Community Hospital, which is a 25-bed community hospital that serves the 3,300 people of Cadiz, Ohio. I asked Mr. Carson to testify after receiving a letter from him describing the enormous financial strain that small community hospitals experience when they provide urgent care for veterans despite knowing the hospital may not receive VA reimbursement.

After hearing Mr. Carson’s story, and that of other community hospitals treating our rural veterans, I introduced and helped enact the Veteran’s Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007 that would require the VA to reimburse community hospitals for all care a veteran receives before a veteran is transferred to another facility.

But that Act addresses just one issue that confronts veterans in rural areas.  Today’s hearing examines important issues of recruitment of physicians in rural communities; strengthening telemedicine resources to compensate for provider shortage; and other ways to ensure a concerted effort to provide adequate health care for our veterans living in rural areas. 

Much work is yet to be done. Veterans, whether living in Cadiz or Cleveland, deserve access to the quality health care that honors their sacrifice and provides them services they have earned and deserve.

Earlier this year, Brown announced $1 million for the Veterans Administration Healthcare System of Ohio (VISN 10). The funds were awarded to regional health care systems to improve services specifically designed for veterans in rural areas. These federal funds will be used to increase the number of mobile clinics, create new outpatient clinics, expand fee-based health care services, establish connections between federal and community health partners, increase the use of telemedicine programs and fund new, developing health pilot programs.

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