Murkowski, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Increase Access to High Quality Health Care In Remote And Rural Areas

08.03.26 Murkowski, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Increase Access to High Quality Health Care In Remote And Rural Areas Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Reauthorization Act, which will increase access to high-quality health care in hard-to-reach areas. The bill reauthorizes funding for an innovative medical education program that deploys interactive videoconferencing to link specialist teams with primary care providers in rural areas, helping rural and remote communities access the health care services they otherwise would not be able to receive. "In rural Alaska, you have to improvise. That's why I'm always interested in innovations that help our communities adapt to the realities on the ground. The ECHO training model has a proven track record of improving health outcomes by helping rural providers access specialized expertise, strengthening the quality of care, increasing provider retention, and reducing the need for patients to travel for specialty care,” said Senator Murkowski . “I'm proud to help the University of Alaska, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and other healthcare providers continue expanding this innovative model that lowers costs and improves care for Alaskans, wherever they live." The ECHO program grants will continue to be used for: Equipment to support the use and expansion of the models, including for the secure exchange of electronic health information; Support for health care providers that provide services under these models; Instructional programming and training; and Information collection and evaluation activities to study the impact of such models. Print Email Tweet