Insights on Rural Health Insurance Market Challenges from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Date:
Duration: approximately
minutes
Featured Speakers
- Paul Moore, DPh, Executive Secretary, National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services; Senior Health Policy Advisor, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
- Mary K. Rolf, MBA, MHA, Committee Member, National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services; President/Chief Executive Officer, Home Care of Central New York, Inc.
- Abigail Barker, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Brown School, Center for Health Economics and Policy, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- Normandy Brangan, MA, Health Insurance Specialist Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Rural areas face unique economic, demographic, and population health challenges compared with urban areas. People living in rural areas tend to have worse health outcomes than urban areas. On average, rural Americans are older and sicker than their urban counterparts and have higher rates of poverty, less access to health care services, and are less likely to have health insurance.
Most Americans have access to some form of health insurance coverage, with employer-sponsored coverage making up the largest portion. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, populations in rural areas are more dependent on public health insurance programs (e.g. Medicare and/or Medicaid) for health insurance coverage than those living in urban areas. Additionally, those living in rural areas have a slightly higher uninsured rate than those living in urban areas.
This webinar will examine rural health insurance market challenges and how they apply to public insurance programs under the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Committee focused on assessing the challenges related to Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, Medicaid Managed Care, and the Health Insurance Marketplace as these programs utilize private organizations to provide health insurance.