<Date>
The Hon. John/Jane Doe
U.S. House of Representatives/Senate
<Address>
<City/State/Zip Code>
Dear Rep./Sen. Doe:
On November 19, 2015, [EMS PROVIDER] will join the National Organization of State Offices of
Rural Health, all 50 State Offices of Rural Health and rural health advocates throughout the nation in
celebrating National Rural Health Day. This annual celebration provides a unique opportunity to
“Celebrate the Power of Rural” by showcasing the good works of Michigan’s 9,883,360 and America’s
59.5 million rural citizens.
As someone who represents rural citizens of Michigan in Congress, you are already well aware of
the “Power of Rural” in our Michigan Our rural communities are wonderful places to live, work, and
visit; they are places where neighbors know each other, listen to each other, respect each other and work
together to benefit the greater good. In terms of health care, rural communities offer healthcare providers
tremendous opportunities to deliver innovative, resourceful models of quality care. The main emphasis of
rural health care has always been on providing affordable, holistic, primary care – a model for the rest of
the country to follow as America transitions to a population-, wellness/prevention-based system of health
care.
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers are one of the most critical safety net providers
operating in rural America today. Although only 20 percent of the nation’s population lives in rural areas,
it is where nearly 60 percent of all trauma deaths occur. Moreover, the death rate in rural areas is
inversely related to population density. According to statistics provided by the National Conference of
State Legislatures, the relative risk of a rural victim dying in a motor vehicle crash is 15 times higher than
in urban areas (after adjusting for crash characteristics, age and gender), while injury-related deaths are 40
percent higher in rural communities than in urban areas.
Unfortunately, EMS and other rural safety net providers face unique healthcare needs; today more
than ever, they must address a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering
from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens.
And while the Affordable Care Act may make health care more affordable for rural Americans, it won’t
necessarily make it more accessible – EMS providers in particular must address equipment and
infrastructure needs and unique geographic barriers in order to meet the basic healthcare needs of their
residents. This can’t be done through a “one size fits all” approach – programs and policies must be
flexible enough to enable states and communities to identify and address the unique needs of their rural
residents.
Because rural providers care for a larger percentage of patients per capita than their urban and
suburban counterparts, it should come as no surprise that funding cuts being considered to federal rural
health programs would do more damage proportionally to rural safety net providers than would similar
cuts to urban/suburban programs. Therefore, we believe it is imperative for Congress and the President,
at the very least, to continue funding existing EMS and rural health programs at their current levels – and
we strongly urge your support for programs that bring physical and economic security to rural citizens of
Michigan.
National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
44648 Mound Road, #114 | Sterling Heights, MI 48314-1322
Phone: 586-739-9940 | Fax: 586-739-9941 | Email: teryle@nosorh.org
www.nosorh.org
Events being held in Michigan and nationwide the week leading up to November 19 will provide
a unique opportunity to showcase rural America while bringing to light some of these unique healthcare
challenges. [NOTE: This is where EMS providers could share any National Rural Health Day
celebration plans.]
It is our sincere hope that you, too, will be able to celebrate National Rural Health Day on
November 19 [NOTE: This is where you could possibly invite the Representative/Senator to join
your celebration. Even if you don’t have something planned, you could invite the
Representative/Senator to tour that day!]. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to
know more about our celebration plans and/or if we can provide you additional rural health-specific
information.
Sincerely,