Earlier this week, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) joined Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) in sending a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz. The group called for fair distribution of funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created under the Working Families Tax Cuts.
The representatives also invited Administrator Oz to visit rural Arizona to observe the challenges residents face, including long travel times to reach medical care. Over 500,000 people in Arizona live at least 30 minutes from the nearest hospital, with many living even farther away. Many of these facilities are Critical Access Hospitals rather than full-service hospitals, limiting available care options.
Additionally, Rep. Crane signed a bipartisan letter addressed to President Trump supporting a request for a Major Disaster Declaration after severe flooding affected Gila and Mohave counties. The letter described how storms in September brought between six and ten inches of rain within two days, damaging more than 300 homes, destroying roads and infrastructure, and causing losses that exceeded $33 million. The delegation asked for quick approval so Arizonans could receive needed federal assistance for recovery.
“Far too often, the needs of rural communities are overshadowed by metropolitan areas. It’s crucial that Washington doesn’t forget hardworking Americans simply because they don’t live in urban centers,” said Rep. Crane. “I’m grateful to work with my colleagues to push for greater access to healthcare, as well as assistance in the aftermath of these tragic natural disasters. We will continue fighting for the amazing people of rural Arizona and push for rapid relief.”
Eli Crane is currently serving in Congress representing Arizona’s 2nd district since 2023. He was born in Tucson in 1980 and now lives in Oro Valley.
