Spanberger hosts telephone town hall on COVID-19, healthcare in Central Virginia

Rep. Abigail Spanberger hosted a telephone town hall on Wednesday alongside Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. M. Norman Oliver to discuss the challenges facing Central Virginia patients, providers, and healthcare systems as the COVID-19 crisis continues.

During her interactive telephone town hall, Spanberger and Commissioner Oliver answered questions from Central Virginians about COVID-19 testing in the Commonwealth, rising prescription drug costs, COVID-19 data reporting, nursing homes, personal protective equipment shortages, and additional topics.

Spanberger also spoke about her work in Congress to protect coverage for Central Virginians with pre-existing conditions and lower drug costs for Seventh District seniors and families.

Nearly 4,500 Central Virginians tuned in to Spanberger’s public town hall. Click here to listen to a full recording of the event.

“During last night’s town hall, I heard concerns from Central Virginians about the safety of their families, the health of their neighbors, and the viability of their businesses as they work to responsibly reopen. There is still tremendous uncertainty about how this virus will impact our region in the weeks and months to come, and I know that up-to-date information is critical during this time,” said Spanberger. “Going forward, I will continue to fight to support our hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and communities. This means also advocating for strengthened COVID-19 testing in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package, which Congress will likely debate in the next few weeks. I’d like to thank Dr. Oliver for joining last night’s event, and I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the issues that matter most to those I serve in Congress.”

Wednesday’s telephone town hall was Spanberger’s seventh free, public telephone town hall since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Last month, she hosted a virtual telephone town hall with U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Virginia Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Dr. Janice Underwood, and VCU Massey Cancer Center Director Dr. Robert Winn to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impacts on minority communities in Central Virginia and across the country.

Click here to watch a full recording of the event.

Last month, Spanberger voted with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass legislation that would protect healthcare coverage for millions of Virginians with pre-existing conditions, reduce premiums, and lower prescription drug costs for Central Virginia seniors and families.