News

The USDA Economic Research Service updated data on their Atlas of Rural and Small Town America to include population data from 2016-2017. The data shows, generally, a decrease in rural areas and increase in urban areas. The map also includes population comparisons to 2010, unemployment...

Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced Senate Bill 2894 in an attempt to create within the Department of Agriculture the position of a Rural Health Liaison. The Liaison would be consulted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate the Department of Agriculture’s response...

The President signed the VA Mission Act which extends funding of the Veterans Choice Program for one year and spurs reforms in the veterans health care system which will further allow veterans to seek care in the community by improving Veterans Affairs coordination with community...

Medicaid work requirements have now been implemented in a number of states to increase restrictions on access to Medicaid. While 24 percent of rural kids live in poverty, nineteen percent of urban kids live in poverty. These additional restrictions are disproportionately harming those in rural...

  Service providers in Alaska are speaking out on their experience with the FCC cutting funding to the Rural Health Care program which previously promised service providers and hospitals funds to greatly decrease the financial burden of expanding telecommunications in the rural health setting. [button link="http://www.alaskajournal.com/2018-05-30/fcc-funding-shortfall-spurs-rural-rate-review#.WxBpTUgvxPZ" text="Read...

The Guardian profiled rural communities on the inner banks of North Carolina where a local hospital closure has led to a lack of proper care in the community despite the opening of a 24-hour clinic. "'Pretty bad,' he shot back when I asked him how things...

The College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota has announced a new initiative to aid in preparing rural veterans for nursing careers. "The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) awarded nearly $1 million to St. Scholastica to train veterans from...

The Senate approved the bipartisan VA MISSION Act which extends funding for the Veterans Choice Program. The Choice program funding is a temporary extension as other provisions in the bill are implemented for a bolstered care in the community experience. The Choice program has been...

The House Veterans Affairs Committee proposed new, bipartisan legislation to extend funding for the Veterans Choice program for an additional year while the VA implements wide-ranging reforms to the healthcare collaborations in communities. The MISSION Act was spearheaded by House VA Committee Chairman Phil Roe and...