Category: Rural Health
Rural America is more vulnerable to COVID-19 than cities are, and it’s starting to show
When you look at the factors that make a population more susceptible to the coronavirus, rural communities are at higher risk than major cities.
The South May See the Largest Share of Coronavirus Misery
Hotspots are being detected throughout the South, and the virus is seeping into rural communities where hospitals are ill-prepared to meet the challenge.
‘When It Starts Getting Into Your Local Hospital, It Becomes Real’
St. James Parish, La. is the hardest-hit counties nationwide for COVID-19 cases per capita, placing its small rural hospital on the pandemic’s front lines.
Pockets of Rural America Are Less Vulnerable to COVID-19’s Economic Fallout — For Now
Small and isolated rural areas that lagged during the economic boom may fare better, relatively speaking, in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Coronavirus Threatens The Lives Of Rural Hospitals Already Stretched To Breaking Point
Rural hospitals may not be able to keep their doors open as the coronavirus pandemic saps their cash, their CEOs warn, just as communities most need them.
Coronavirus Threatens Strained Rural Health Care System
Rural areas face numerous challenges as they encounter a coronavirus: fewer hospitals, longer distances to care and a higher proportion of vulnerable people
States grapple with rural health crisis
Rural residents are in poorer health and have less access to treatment, partly because so many rural hospitals and health clinics have shuttered in recent years
High-deductible plans hurting rural patients and their hospitals
Rural patients often are unable to pay their high deductibles, leaving their local hospital unpaid for the services it provides their local community.
Poverty Grew in One-Third of Counties Despite Strong National Economy
Most of the biggest increases were in rural and Southern areas that saw a downturn in local industries and where residents lacked job training and skills
As rural Americans struggle for health care access, insurers may be making things worse
Insurance plans often do not cover local providers forcing patients to travel further to get care.
As Rural Groceries Fade Away, Lawmakers Wonder Whether to Act
Rural, isolated areas lack public transportation. Traveling can be tough on the poor and seniors. Grocery delivery services aren’t widely available.