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Issue Brief -- Rural Health and Health Reform


Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Health care delivery poses unique challenges in rural communities. Provider shortages are particularly acute. Unemployment rates are higher and private insurance rates are lower in rural areas than elsewhere.

Do the health reform bills in Congress adequately address the needs of rural areas? A new issue brief from the Alliance for Health Reform offers some insights. Written by Deanna Okrent, Alliance senior health policy associate, and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To download, click here or go to www.allhealth.org/publications/Uninsured/Rural_Health_and_Health_Reform_94.pdf

This four-page publication helps explain why the farther a person lives from an urban area, the more likely he or she is to be uninsured. It also documents how other factors affect rural populations more than their urban counterparts, such as:

* lack of health care providers
* aging
* more chronic disease
* slow adoption of health information technology, and
* geographic barriers.

Covered next are how the House and Senate health reform bills would help rural areas deal with their challenges, such as boosting:

* public and private health insurance coverage
* preventive care
* the health workforce, and
* telehealth.

 

50 Ways to Implement Health Reform: State Challenges and Federal Assistance


What challenges need to be overcome by the states to implement various provisions in the health reform law? This briefing, cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, looked into how the states and the federal government are working together to implement the law -- both near-term provisions, such as high-risk pools, as well as other provisions farther down the road, such as setting up exchanges and instituting changes to Medicaid eligibility.

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New Toolkit -- Fresh Ideas for Reporting on Health Reform


Now that health reform is law, reporters covering this subject have a new challenge: keeping readers, viewers and listeners engaged through the long implementation process. This new toolkit from the Alliance for Health Reform will help. Features story ideas from seasoned reporters and links to dozens of resources. Also included: list of experts with contact information and helpful websites. To download, click here.

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Completely updated -- "Covering Health Issues" guide


"Covering Health Issues," the Alliance's popular 246-page guide to key health policy topics, has been completely updated. Each chapter now reflects the relevant provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. To see the table of contents, click here.

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New Issue Brief -- The Future of Children's Health Coverage


This issue brief details the children's coverage expansions in the new health reform law and also the law's potential to strain existing coverage programs for children. Written by Lisa Swirsky of the Alliance for Health Reform and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To download, click here.

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Toolkit-- Legal Challenges to the Health Reform Law


Twenty-one states and the National Federation of Independent Business have filed lawsuits challenging the new health reform law's constitutionality. On what grounds do reform opponents challenge the new law? What are the chances that any of these lawsuits might succeed? This toolkit from the Alliance for Health Reform, written by the Alliance’s Kevin Arts, addresses both questions. Includes key facts, background, links to specially selected articles and a list of experts with contact information. To download, click here.

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