Almost no one considers access to health care in an emergency until you desperately need it. But in reality, proximity to these services and medical care is essential, no matter the time of day or location.
As a small-business owner of a contracting business, I am constantly in physically demanding situations and can be at a high risk for severe injuries. I rely on having access to quality medical care, but in many rural locations like mine, in order to access this care, it can require an air ambulance to receive treatment rapidly in extreme circumstances.
It is important to me, and many other rural Coloradans and business owners, to know that this care is available to us even in the most desperate situations. Without the option of air ambulance transport, trauma centers can be over an hour away, which won’t cut it in many critical situations.
Congress is considering a bill that would cause air ambulance base closures across the country, impacting millions of rural Americans that rely on these services in case of emergency. This bill, which attempts to address surprise medical bills, includes provisions that would result in air ambulance base closures, eliminating access to emergency care for many rural Americans.
I urge Sen. Cory Gardner to consider the importance of rural air ambulances for people like me, who at a moment’s notice could require live-saving resources.