U.S. Rep Kelly, State Senator Faraci Meet with Locals to Talk about Rural Issues, Including Health Care

ABOVE: State Senator Paul Faraci and Congresswoman Robin Kelly during Thursday afternoon’s Illinois Soybean Association – sponsored rural health discussion at the Gilbert Street Cafe.

An early afternoon roundtable took place Thursday (July 18th) at the Gilbert Street Cafe, hosted by the Illinois Soybean Association; designed to discuss rural issues, especially related to health care.  Panelists included Congresswoman Robin Kelly and State Senator Paul Faraci.  Also present was Danville OSF interim president JT Barnhart.  Barnhart talked about how the pandemic certainly woke many in health care up; when rural patients without internet, unable to use telehealth for their medical appointments, simply stopped taking care of routine health care, which led to numerous health problems down the road; many showing up in crowded emergency rooms.

AUDIO: Really major issues that could have been handled by just normal wellness; normal routine visits for care.  So, with kind of our talks around the expansion of broadband and internet services in rural communities; that will definitely go a long way to helping health systems like ours expand access.

(1st Picture) Senator Faraci and Congresswoman Kelly with Gilbert St. Cafe co-owner Paul Siliu.

State Senator Faraci stated that certainly his predecessor Scott Bennett’s involvement in farming helped his understanding for knowing what farmers need.  And a major need right now is expanded broadband for all rural areas to help with, as just one example, medical care.  He says it’s a job for both the state and the feds; and that although it’s sometimes slower than folks would like, this will get done.

AUDIO: The Illinois Department of Commerce is well aware that there’s a huge need.  They’re working with the federal government to get additional resources so we can do a better job helping farmers.  And that’s critical.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s District runs from the City of Chicago and suburbs, down to downstate rural areas.  She says working with farm loans in the state treasurer’s office was a good education for her.  And now, as she meets more and more constituent farmers, she definitely says better broadband and health care is not just an issue for states.  Federal legislators can do their part as well.

AUDIO: I mean a lot of us have rural areas, and we hear from our folks; that they might have to drive, like the gentleman said, 60 miles, to see a doc.  Telehealth becomes really important.  And I think COVID showed how important and valuable telehealth is.

Senator Faraci said it must be remembered that farmers are small business owners taking care of everything from accounting, to mechanics, to their own physical and mental health.