U.S. Congressman Brett Guthrie speaks with medical providers at Owensboro Health

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — In Owensboro, changes to Medicare and Medicaid topped the conversation between medical professionals and Congressman Brett Guthrie.

Guthrie is currently chairman of a House Health Subcommittee.

Around two dozen providers for the hospital, and Mayor Tom Watson were at the event called a fireside chat.

Owensboro Health CEO Mark Marsh says 74 percent of their patients are 65 and older and says it can be difficult to get their patients access to those health insurance policies.

“I’m going to take that back and continue to work with our providers to make sure that it’s smooth. We don’t have to create a huge bureaucracy. We want people practicing medicine, not staying on the phone or going through emails or whatever you have to do to get authorization. So, that was a big, big message,” says Congressman Guthrie.

He says it’s important to replace statistics with the faces of those affected by these issues and events like this give him that opportunity.

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