Administrative Problems Cut Rural Health Care Funding

In June the President created a Rural Task Force which includes a long list of federal departments and offices. Last month they were on the road listening to citizen concerns. Kathleen Seblius at HHS is to be commended for making sure that some of our country's brightest health care leaders at HHS have a real understanding of the challenges rural communities face in creating and sustaining healthy communities. Some of those leaders include Mary Wakefield (North Dakota) at HRSA from  Marcia Brand (West Virginia) at the Bureau of Health Professions, and Tom Morris (North Carolina) at the Office of Rural Health Policy.

All of these agencies understand and advocate for rural physicians who are frequently on the short end of re-reimbursement, treat higher numbers of Medicare and Medicaid patients, and must compete for staff  against the higher salaries available in larger cities. Rural doctors don't get a discount on all the equipment they need just because they are in a smaller demographic. Just as their patients want the best care possible, doctors want to deliver it and they need the technology and equipment to do that.

When Congress returns it is imperative that it address the complete omission of  rural clinics in  federal quality improvement efforts and funding. The National Rural Health Association alerted members that it would be working with partners to lobby Congress to correct an administrative problem that resulted in the lack of any funding for improving the health of rural American through these programs. The money is already budgeted but due to a data collection omission at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, reports filed by rural physicians were not included.

I've heard people, including state and federal elected officials, downplay the importance of high quality health care in rural communities (it is stunning). Some of them had said they don't ever visit rural communities and just don't know much about them.(we make sure they know the welcome mat is always out). But when they go to the beach, the mountains, or visit friends and family out of town, most likely their trip takes them through a rural community. An accident, heart attack, stroke, or sudden illness isn't the time to wish there was good quality health care just down the road.

Congress needs to fix this administrative issue so rural gets the funding  that is already budgeted. We want and deserve our fair share. The White House and Congress need a fuller understanding of what makes the success and sustainability of rural America critical for solving the problems our country faces. Health care is an important one.  

    

The Sandwich Generation Speaks Up

I am beginning to know first hand what the sandwich generation is all about. I am the second of four generations in my family, and my husband is the same in his. We are both dealing with aging parents, keeping the house and yard in almost respectable order, and doing the things we want to do (exercise, garden, cook, read, blog). Next week I have appointments with three doctors who have been involved in treating my cancer since the middle of December.

It could be worse; we don't worry where our next meal will come from, if the car will get us to work, or whether we can see a doctor. We have friends and siblings we can call in the middle of the night (and who will call us if we are needed).

Can I imagine how awful it would be without those things? I can try, but I don't think I can fully understand it. Knowing it first hand is scary.

With that thought, I am doing my part and telling the folks who represent me (I use that term loosely as I don't like the way they vote on most issues) to say that cutting Social Security, Veteran's benefits, along with Medicare and Medicaid aren't just decisions about money. Those are decisions about the very real issues of quality of life. I'm willing to spend a little more on taxes to make sure the senior citizens in my neighborhood don't worry about cutting pills in half, or that kids with asthma have an inhaler when they need it.

And if I can do it on my middle class income that isn't getting any bigger while costs go up, then it seems like the jumbo corporations making millions in profits could come off a little of their cash to help our too.

We have hard decisions to make in our country. We need to remember that we aren't just talking about thousands of people. We are talking about the guy whose cute kids, wearing pretty worn out clothes, beamed as they cleaned the windshield while he put gas in the tank at $3.60+ a gallon.

I'm doing my part. Are you?