New report summarizes issues in rural health care

Need a few bullet points about the state of rural health care? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published a five-page summary called "Hard Times in the Heartland" on its healthreform.gov Web site.

It's not just about health care, but related issues. "The rural economy is dominated by small businesses, which are struggling as the cost of health care continues to skyrocket," the report says. "In the current recession, the rural economy is losing jobs at a faster rate than the rest of the nation, and loss of jobs can lead to loss of health coverage."

Coverage is generally harder to get in rural areas: "Rural residents pay on average for 40 percent of their health care costs out of their own pocket, compared with the urban share of one-third. ... Rural adults are more likely than urban adults to report having deferred care because of cost."

A lack of specialists and other doctors is the most longstanding problem in rural health: "There were 55 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents in rural areas in 2005, compared with 72 per 100,000 in urban areas. This decreases to 36 per 100,000 in isolated, small rural areas. There were half as many specialists per 100,000 residents in rural areas compared with urban areas, and a third as many psychiatrists."

Lack of doctors can lead to poor health. The prevalence of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure is greater in rural areas. To read the report, click here.