{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-urges-cms-approve-arizonas-rural-health-plan-invites", "Congressman Biggs Urges CMS to Approve Arizona\u2019s Rural Health Plan, Invites Administrator Oz to See Need Firsthand", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Andy Biggs", "B001302", "biggs.house.gov", "biggs", "https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz urging the approval of Arizona\u2019s application for the federal government\u2019s Rural Health Transformation Program. Congressman Biggs also invited Dr. Oz to visit Arizona\u2019s rural communities to see firsthand the distance, limited resources, and unique challenges that rural residents face in accessing care.\n\nThe letter highlights Arizona\u2019s vast geography and the significant challenges rural communities face in accessing healthcare. More than 500,000 Arizonans live over 30 minutes from a hospital\u2014among the highest rates in the nation\u2014and many rely on limited Critical Access Hospitals rather than full-service facilities.\n\nThe Rural Health Transformation Program was created through President Trump\u2019s Big Beautiful Bill, which expanded resources to strengthen healthcare delivery and infrastructure in rural America. Arizona\u2019s application seeks to utilize these funds to expand access and develop innovative local care models for underserved areas.\n\nCongressmen Eli Crane (AZ-02), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-05) joined in signing the letter.\n\n\u201cArizona\u2019s rural communities are the backbone of our state,\u201d said Congressman Biggs. \u201cMany residents live more than thirty minutes from the nearest hospital, and for some, it can take close to an hour just to reach a critical care facility. That distance can determine whether or not a patient receives timely care.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s Big Beautiful Bill made important investments to strengthen local communities and improve access to essential services, including healthcare. Arizona is uniquely positioned to lead the way in advancing these reforms and setting a standard for rural healthcare innovation.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m inviting Dr. Oz to visit our great state and witness firsthand the challenges faced by Arizona\u2019s rural communities. Arizona is ready to lead in this effort, and I urge CMS to afford our state the opportunity to do so.\u201d\n\nCongressman Eli Crane said,\u201cRural Arizona matters, and I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues to advocate for these critical needs. We all passed the working families tax cut, which included a historic investment in rural hospitals.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to quality healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges facing rural America. The Working Families Tax Cut, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump, helps address the provider shortages, limited facilities, and resource gaps that rural communities in Arizona face. Arizona\u2019s healthcare providers continue to lead with innovative solutions\u2014demonstrating why sustained federal partnership and investment are vital to ensuring quality care for all Arizonans,\u201dstated Congressman Paul Gosar.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-urges-cms-approve-arizonas-rural-health-plan-invites"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.973512815311551, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}