Rep. Salazar Scores Critical Healthcare Funding for Rural Coloradans

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Rep. John T. Salazar announced that Coloradans will score a major victory later tonight when the House passes the 2008 Labor, HHS Education/Military Construction and Veteran Affairs appropriations bill conference report.

“This appropriations bill includes major benefits to rural communities, such as increasing rural health programs which will allow rural hospitals stay open and improve access to health care and health technology.  The legislation also provides funding for critical access hospitals and creates health care networks for Coloradans in rural areas,” said Rep. Salazar.

Grand Junction Medical Education Center – Through the leadership of Rep. Salazar, St. Mary’s Hospital Education Center in Grand Junction will receive an appropriation in the amount of $440,000.  The money will be used to expand the Saccomanno Education Center, as part of a planned hospital expansion called The Century Project.  St. Mary’s Hospital is the largest medical provider between Denver and Salt Lake City.

Mercy Health Foundation – A $300,000 appropriation will be used by the Mercy Health Foundation of Durango for construction and equipment in a new 50,000 square foot community health clinic.  The clinic will be used to provide primary care to residents of the Durango area.  Durango and La Plata County suffer from a severe shortage of healthcare professionals, and recently Congressman Salazar successfully led the county through the designation process to become a Health Professional Shortage Area.  This designation may allow physicians to receive a higher rate of reimbursement when providing care to Medicare beneficiaries.

Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association - The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) was created in 1964 to promote healthy living, prevent disease and provide home health.  It also provides public health and hospice services to residents of the Yampa Valley.  The Association will receive $170,000 to equip a community health clinic in Steamboat Springs.  VNA serves 6,702 square miles of rugged, sparsely populated terrain.

San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center – A $170,000 appropriation will allow the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center to update its Information Technology System to improve patient care in the pharmacy, laboratory, radiology and nursing departments.  The hospital is licensed for 59 beds, 49 of which are designated as Acute Care and 10 are inpatient rehabilitation beds. The hospital also houses the only 1.5 tesla MRI unit in the San Luis Valley, a 16 slice CT Scanner, as well as the only Intensive Care unit in the San Luis Valley.