Imagine needing a doctor and finding out there isn’t one nearby who can see you. For seniors and families in rural towns like throughout Washington, this could soon be a harsh reality. Proposed cuts to Medicare physician payments threaten to push even more doctors out of our communities, leaving the most vulnerable—low-income residents and seniors—without the care they need. We cannot let this happen.

Medicare’s outdated payment system is putting our seniors’ local healthcare at risk. The federal government is considering a 2.8% cut in Medicare payments to doctors starting next year. For many people, that might not sound like much, but for our rural healthcare providers, it’s a huge problem. Unlike hospitals, doctors don’t get an automatic yearly raise to keep up with inflation. This makes these proposed cuts even more damaging, especially in smaller towns where finding a doctor is already difficult.

It may not surprise many to know that the cost of running a medical practice has gone up more than 50% in recent years. What might be shocking to learn, though, is that Medicare payments to doctors have gone down by 29% when adjusted for inflation. This means that doctors in rural areas who see Medicare patients are struggling to keep their doors open. If these cuts go through, more doctors will be forced to leave, and the healthcare system in rural Washington will be stretched to the breaking point.

This isn’t just a problem for doctors; it’s a serious issue for the entire community. Seniors and low-income residents will suffer the most if their doctors leave town or stop accepting Medicare. This could mean long waits, long drives, or not getting the care they need at all. As a resident of a rural community who relies on healthcare, I believe this is completely unacceptable.

Now, more than ever, we need Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers to protect our local doctors, ensure fair Medicare payments, and stop these damaging cuts. She has always been a reliable champion for rural communities, and she is perfectly positioned to take a leading role. There is a bill, H.R. 10073 – the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, making its way through Congress right now that would not only stop the proposed cuts from becoming reality, but it would also institute a much needed 1.8% payment increase for 2025.

But stopping the planned cuts for next year is just the first step. We need a long-term solution that ties Medicare payments to inflation so rural doctors can plan for the future and continue serving our communities.

Rep. McMorris Rodgers knows how important it is to protect rural healthcare. We need her to fight for fair payment reforms and push for a system that supports rural doctors and keeps them in our communities. The time to act is now—before more doors close and more seniors are left without the care they deserve. Rural Washingtonians are counting on her.

Nansen Malin lives in a remote rural village in SW Washington State and understands firsthand the problem of access to medical care in rural areas. She serves on the local school board, in addition to other nonprofit boards focused on serving the poor and elderly in her community.