Democratic Sen. Al Franken has been named the 2011 Legislator of the Year by the National Organization of the State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH).

The recognition comes from Franken’s “continued efforts to ensure that Minnesotans in rural communities receive the quality medical care they deserve,” according to a news release.

As a senator, Franken has been highly involved in health care groups. He is a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions panel, Indian Affairs Committee and the Senate Rural Health Caucus.

“I firmly believe that everyone should have access to high quality health care, no matter where they live,” Franken said in a news release. “Minnesota’s rural communities face unique challenges when it comes to making health care available to their residents and it’s important that we meet those challenges.”

Franken has called on U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to reverse a new interpretation of Medicare rules that could put rural and critical access hospitals at a disadvantage. Franken also joined a bipartisan group of his Senate colleagues in asking Sebelius to appoint rural representatives to key boards that will oversee the implementation of the federal health care reform law.