Improving Access to Care for Rural Communities During COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has affected American families in every community. While large urban areas were significantly impacted by the crisis starting in its earliest days, rural communities are being impacted more as the crisis continues. Rural counties in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Ohio are experiencing high rates of infection per 100,000 residents, surpassing even densely populated urban areas.

The crisis is exacerbating the already well-documented challenges of delivering health care to rural areas – including a lack of providers, insufficient health care infrastructure, and unsustainable financial models to support delivery of the care that’s needed.

Residents of rural communities tend to be older and sicker than their urban counterparts, putting them at high risk for coronavirus infection and severe illness. Hospitals in rural areas have also been closing at an unprecedented pace. Policymakers, public health officials, doctors and hospitals, health insurance providers, and other stakeholders are working together to address the needs of rural communities during this crisis.

 

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