Research study says new health care law should help rural counties, though it may be a hard sell

The Rural Policy Research Institute has issued a report that says the new health care law could have a positive impact on health care in Missouri's rural counties. The law should  improve rural residents' access to primary care physicians, provide incentives for preventive care and improve access to health insurance. The study also said the changes should be monitored to ensure rural areas do not fall victim to "unintended consequences" of the legislation, reports Andrew Denney for the Columbia Daily Tribune.

Keith Mueller, a University of Iowa professor and chairman of the RUPRI Rural Health panel, said misconceptions about the law could also make it difficult for rural inhabitants to be receptive to its potential benefits. He said Medicaid had been a tough sell for rural America, and some view the program as a government takeover of health care. "That creates a challenge for those of us who are trying to plow the middle ground and say, 'This is what the reality is,' " Mueller said to Denney. (Read more)

To read the full report: "Securing High Quality Health Care in Rural America: The Impetus for Change in the Affordable Care Act"