Warner makes stops in the New River Valley
Governor Warner is getting many opportunities on his Hometown Days tours to talk about the need for health care reform. This week, he was in the New Rivery Valley and visited the Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem.
The Roanoke Times was there and carried this report from the hospital:
He talked about the need for electronic medical records and more transparency among health care providers. He advocated better financing for long-term care and for some version of universal health coverage.
“I think we’re going to see a big-bang approach to health care reform,” Warner said.
Victor Giovanetti, the hospital’s chief executive officer, who attended the meeting, said he supports many of the former governor’s stances, especially his emphasis on collaboration.
“We are finding we have some challenges ahead and we need collective focus from everyone,” Giovanetti said.
Warner’s comments on universal health coverage particularly resonated with the hospital’s rehabilitation director, Denise Rose, who also attended the meeting.
Rose said she often sees patients caught in the bind of needing long-term care but not having adequate private insurance to pay for it. Many can’t pay out of pocket and are forced to go on Medicaid or disability, she said.
“I think he spoke to the heart of the matter on reform,” Rose said.
Before the trip ended, Governor Warner toured Optical Cable Corporation, visted Radford University, met with Radford’s Democratic Activists, walked the Main Streets of Radford and Blacksburg, and met with the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.
EverythingNRValley.com has video of the stops in Radford. OurValley.org covered the visits as well.
Here are some pictures of Governor Warner’s Main Street walk in Blacksburg and a lunch reception in Christiansburg.
