U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says he’s pushing for more federal funding to address an ongoing chronic shortage of healthcare workers in rural parts of Illinois and around the country.
Durbin held a rural health summit Thursday in Springfield to discuss the shortage and how it’s impacting healthcare in rural Illinois. He sought a billion dollars under the American Rescue Plan to help boost the number of providers in under-served communities.
Durbin is also seeking funding in the current budget negotiations to expand several Illinois nursing programs and to offer expanded loan forgiveness for providers who serve five years or more in a rural or inner-city setting.
