WASHINGTON D.C. (WOAY) – Mercer County Commissioner Greg Puckett is currently attending the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in D.C. which brings together 2,000 counties to talk federal policy.Â
Two of the main ones being discussed: Changing the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy to be more inclusive and also the successes of forming a task force on pre-trial detainee health care.
Puckett will hear from President Donald Trump as well as Housing Secretary Ben Carson, but he is most excited to hear from other counties and find those commonalities between other rural areas.Â
“You take the composite of who we are and you can mirror us and layer us over into other counties in Nevada, in Utah, in Washington state,” Puckett said. “There are so many similarities and to be able to have that collective voice is really empowering. It’s really a great opportunity for us to say, you know, ‘Hey. We matter in rural communities.'”
Puckett says he hopes to bring some fresh ideas back to the area.Â