by Sen. Mike Caputo
Traveling an hour or more for basic health care may sound unreal to some people, but for rural West Virginians, it is a fact of life. Those going to the doctor or hospital in densely populated areas typically don’t face substantial hurdles in their voyage.
In the medical field, there is a concept called the “golden hour,” which states that the first hour after a traumatic injury, such as a heart attack or stroke, is the most critical for a patient’s successful treatment.
However, many West Virginians face a long commute for basic or emergency healthcare. The wild and wonderful features of our state can make travel and infrastructure a challenge, especially for those who live in our most remote locations. In turn, our rural communities are often the most challenging to serve.
In early 2020, my community in Marion County faced potential closure of our local hospital, which would exacerbate the lack of healthcare in our communities.
Fairmont Regional Medical Center was slated to shut its doors in March 2020, the same time our country entered the global pandemic of COVID-19. After months of advocacy, Fairmont managed to keep a hospital, but only through the hard work of community leaders, community support and the investment of WVU Hospitals. Not every small town is so fortunate.
Thankfully, the American Rescue Plan included not only $1,400 checks for most West Virginians, but millions in relief for battered rural health providers. In April, Sen. Joe Manchin announced more than $82 million in funding for our Community Health Centers, which provide opportunities in underserved areas.
Many of those funds are designated specifically to rural providers, such as those serving the majority of West Virginians.
The American Rescue Plan makes available many other opportunities for rural America regarding healthcare, including $8.5 billion in provider relief, a $9.09 billion investment in the public health workforce, and $4 billion in substance abuse prevention and behavioral health.
It also included $500 million for rural health providers to maintain telehealth, which allows doctors to check-in with patients from the comfort of their own home instead of having to travel to their doctor’s office or a hospital.
As the only member of West Virginia’s Congressional delegation to vote for the American Rescue Plan, Sen. Manchin was instrumental in the passage of this funding. Just as importantly, Manchin ensured that funding would be equitably distributed to rural America. Without Sen. Manchin’s advocacy for West Virginia and other small states, this opportunity could have been dominated by benefits to urban areas in the United States. Fortunately, Sen. Manchin made certain that West Virginians would be provided new and improved healthcare opportunities.
The American Rescue Plan will provide opportunities to grow and improve healthcare in the Mountain State. In addition to the $677 million sent directly to our local communities, the American Rescue Plan offers benefits to small businesses, broadband connectivity, childcare, senior citizens, veterans, nutritional aid and our first responders.
Sen. Manchin has provided an opportunity to all West Virginians to not only recover from the global pandemic, but to thrive with new opportunities for much-needed healthcare improvements.
Fairmont Regional Medical Center wasn’t the first West Virginia hospital to face challenges in the changing age of medicine. With Sen. Manchin’s efforts from the American Rescue Plan, I hope it will be the last.
Sen. Mike Caputo has served in the state legislature since 1996 and currently represents the 13th Senate District, which includes Marion and Monongalia counties.
