You should hear the story from Dr. Ned Hammar, a family practice doctor from Okanogan. He drove six hours to Olympia then waited for more than two hours so he could speak to us for nine minutes. They were an important nine minutes.

He shared with us his experiences trying to provide health care in rural Washington and the drastic effect that our budget cuts have already had on his patients.

He told the Senate Ways and Means Committee members, “Our system is failing, and it’s failing those who already have very little left to lose.” We heard him.

I think he’s right!