The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

PAGES

As health care insurance costs continue to climb, farm bureau health plans offer a lower cost alternative

Small businesses and their employees could lose health care coverage if ACA subsidies are cut

Threat of medical debt is a top worry for most farming families, says study about household-level farming stressors

High-deductible insurance hurts rural hospitals and patients

ACA open enrollment has been extended until 3 a.m. ET Wed., but federal officials haven't made a very big deal of it

Academic journal Health Affairs devotes entire issue to rural health; read a summary of all the studies here

House Agriculture Committee chair, seeking re-election in most pro-Trump Democratic district, draws strong GOP foe

Rural hospitals struggling most in states where lawmakers declined Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act

Appeals court sounds likely to uphold ruling against ACA; Democrat says the law 'is the future of rural health care'

7 rural hospital CEOs in N.C. call for Medicaid expansion

Judge blocks Ky.'s bid to make 'able-bodied' adults on Medicaid work, volunteer, get training or drug treatment

Vote today in Va. will make state 33rd to expand Medicaid; at least two referenda already set in other states for Nov. 6

States that expanded Medicaid tended to improve most in latest scorecard of health system performance

Rural hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid have been six times less likely to close than in states that didn't

Farmworkers getting older; many have chronic ailments and spotty health coverage; production in California slows

Update: Va. House race ruled a tie; Republican wins random drawing, preserving GOP majority

Medicaid expansion expanded coverage by 8.5% in rural areas, 4.1% in urban areas, study concludes

Health-insurance deadline in most states is tonight; your current plan may not be the best for you

Ala. election makes Obamacare repeal less likely

Rural areas face confusion as ACA enrollment opens