Senator Stabenow Applauds Initiative to Expand Quality Health Care in Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced support for Indigo Health to help connect people in rural areas with quality health care. This $226,803 grant will benefit 13 counties in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. The funding, which comes from the USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant program, was authorized by Senator Stabenow's 2014 Farm Bill.

"Families in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula often don't have access to the health care services they need in rural communities," said Senator Stabenow. "With telehealth, patients are able to get important checkups and medical care even though the doctor is hundreds of miles away, thanks to state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Today's announcement will help make sure patients have access to specialists no matter what their zip code is."

The support will be used to deploy two interactive telemedicine carts at clinics in Mason, Crawford, Charlevoix, Chippewa, Dickinson, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Luce, Manistee, Mackinac, Ostego, Schoolcraft and Wexford Counties. This funding will help rural hospitals provide constant care between patients and primary physicians through iNDIGO's Hospitalist Telemedicine Network, which allows for diagnoses and consultations at any time of the day. Today's announcement is part of a $23.5 million investment in 75 projects across the country.

Senator Stabenow is Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, which has jurisdiction over the USDA and its Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant program.