WILLMAR -- U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman toured Rice Memorial Hospital on Thursday afternoon and applauded the community for investing in its health care resources.
"There should be an overwhelming sense of pride in the community," Coleman, R-Minn., said after touring the newly renovated facility with Rice CEO Lorry Massa and an entourage of staffers, hospital officials and local elected officials. "The community deserves a pat on the back."
The visit was part of Coleman's effort to visit every Minnesota county this year and was also part of a tour of rural Minnesota hospitals.
Massa led the tour through the renovated areas of the facility, and informed Coleman that the renovation sought to make Rice a patient- and family-friendly facility that is on the cutting edge of technology and care.
Coleman, who admits he doesn't like hospitals, commented about the design.
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"I'm amazed, the tone and the feel is very positive," he said.
Coleman, Massa and the hospital officials spent a short time discussing health care issues and federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program primarily for people 65 years of age or older. Medicaid is the joint federal and state program that helps pay medical costs for people with low incomes.
Coleman pledged to continue to work on health care funding issues and government reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid. With community hospitals operating on a 1 percent profit, he noted that the government payments are vital to hospital's financial stability and the health and well-being of its community.
"A 1 percent difference makes a huge difference," he said. "That could be the margin between life and death."
Coleman went on to call Rice a "stunning" facility and commented that the community is helping Minnesota lead the nation in health care.
"Health care is one of the foundations of the community," Coleman said. "People need a house, a job and health care."
