The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ attempt to cut Medicare rates is a full-on attack on the health of our community.
The result of shutting down remote clinics and halting the expansion of primary care in Sequim would be disastrous.
The shortage of medical services will force many of us who need health care services to travel longer distances and, more likely than not, reduce the number of visits to our primary care physicians.
I think even those who are not on Medicare will be impacted.
Aside from the detrimental impact to our health, the financial impact would be substantial.
Consider lost productivity due to illnesses/injuries that won’t get treated in a timely manner; time/costs required to travel greater distances for a doctor’s appointment; increase in urgent care and emergency visits due to irregular office visits/delayed diagnosis of health issues and cost of illnesses due to reduction of preventive treatments such as vaccinations.
These are a few of the conditions that will undoubtedly reduce the quality of life for residents of our community and disproportionately impact those of us with lower incomes.
A healthy community must have fair and equal access to health care services at a reasonable cost, within a reasonable distance and on a regular basis for all of our residents.
This cut to Medicare rates is beyond unreasonable.
It’s an injustice that must be stopped, and we can stop it.
Please support U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer’s, D-Gig Harbor, bill HR-2552 to reverse this health care cut.
Terry Yoshii,
Sequim