U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

June 27, 2007

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director
303-350-0032


 UPDATE: Sen. Salazar Announces Health Care Access Victory for Thousands of La Plata County Residents

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar today announced that La Plata County had been designated a Health Professional Shortage Area by the federal government. This important designation, of which the state of Colorado informed the Senator this morning, comes after Senator Salazar provided direct support for the County’s application with the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I am pleased to announce that La Plata County has been awarded its designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area,” said Senator Salazar. “This opens the door for better health care access for many County residents, saving them the long trip to Grand Junction.”

Earlier this month, in response to the health care access crisis for low-income families and seniors in La Plata County triggered by the closing of Valley Wide Health in Durango, Senator Salazar pushed the Bureau of Health Professions in the Department of Health and Human Services to approve La Plata County’s application for a special federal health care designation for the County which would help attract more health care professionals to the area. Today, the Primary Care Office at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment informed the Senator’s office that this designation had been granted.

By designating La Plata County a HPSA, the doctors in the County would be eligible for Medicare bonus payments, possible re-payment of medical school loans or other incentives, all to attract new doctors to the area. Without additional services, low-income population now is currently in Grand Junction, more than four hours away.

According to data from La Plata County, the closure of Valley Wide Health left the County with approximately three Full Time Equivalent (FTE) doctors available to provide health services to low-income residents of La Plata County. However, more than one in four County residents live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level (in 2007, the federal poverty level for a family of four is $20,650) – a low-income population of 13,447, resulting in a Population-to-Provider ratio of 4,075:1. This includes Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

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