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Grassley Talks Rural Healthcare And Bipartisanship In D.C. During Carroll Visit Wednesday

U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley, hosted a town hall meeting at New Hope Village in Carroll Wednesday afternoon as part of his longstanding effort to visit all 99 Iowa counties every year. Following a brief introduction, he opened the floor to questions from his constituents. The first question came from Carroll County Attorney, John Werden, who asked Grassley to comment on the nature of bipartisanship in Washington, D.C.

Focus quickly shifted to the current state of healthcare in our country and the rising cost of prescription medications. Bob Stessman, owner of the Manning Pharmacy, indicated pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are the driving force behind these price hikes in his experience and more needed to be done to prevent their questionable business practices. Grassley said he is already using his position as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to investigate this issue.

According to Grassley, the intent of that legislation is for more transparency on how drugs are priced. Questions were also raised about the future of critical access hospitals. Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) CEO, John O’Brien, pointed out that more than 100 rural hospitals have closed in the last eight years and asked what efforts are being made to stop this trend from continuing. Grassley said they are currently working to increase funding for healthcare facilities in less populated areas.

He added hospitals that want to take advantage of that program would be required to contract out services for overnight stays and trauma care to a nearby hospital. Grassley spoke for nearly an hour while in Carroll Wednesday. Full audio from his visit can be found included below this story.

 

FULL AUDIO HERE

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