rural health

Many Americans with disabilities who live in rural areas of the U.S. said it would be a challenge for them to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense, according to the results of a new poll.

Rural Health: Financial Insecurity Plagues Many Who Live With Disability

7:35pm June 12, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Having to come up with $1,000 unexpectedly can be a challenge for anyone. NPR's recent poll on rural health found that especially true for one group: people with disabilities.

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A proposed change in a formula for Medicare payments could help rural hospitals but would mean less money for hospitals in cities.

Health & Safety

Richer Medicare Payments For Rural Hospitals Could Come At Urban Centers' Expense

5:42pm May 31, 2019

by Sarah Jane Tribble

The administration's proposed adjustment to the wage index, a key factor used to set hospitals' Medicare payments, could help rural facilities while hurting those in cities.

One out of every four Americans living in rural America said they had problems accessing needed health care recently, according to a new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In small towns like

Health & Safety

The Struggle To Hire And Keep Doctors In Rural Areas Means Patients Go Without Care

10:35pm May 21, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

A new generation of family physicians wants a work-life balance. But practicing in a small town is a 24/7 job, which is worsening the ongoing doctor shortage in rural America.

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Leitha Dollarhyde, a retired caregiver who lives in a rural town near Whitesburg, Ky., says she could not afford an unexpected $1,000 expense.

Poll: Many Rural Americans Struggle With Financial Insecurity, Access To Health Care

9:09am May 21, 2019

A new poll from NPR, Harvard and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gives a glimpse into rural life in America today, finding that many people living in rural communities live on the edge financially.

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Visitors to Mercy's Fort Scott hospital would pass a tall white cross as they drove down a winding driveway before arriving at the front door. Sisters of Mercy nuns founded the hospital in 1886, and the newest building, constructed in 2002, honors that Ro

No Mercy: How A Kansas Town Is Grappling With Its Hospital's Closure

11:20am May 14, 2019

by Sarah Jane Tribble

People in Fort Scott, Kan., depended on their local hospital for more than a century. In December, the hospital closed. Fort Scott residents now are trying to cope with life without it.

Before it closed March 1, the 25-bed Columbia River Hospital, in Celina, Tenn., served the town of 1,500 residents. The closest hospital now is 18 miles from Celina — a 30-minute or more drive on mountain roads.

Economic Ripples: Hospital Closure Hurts A Town's Ability To Attract Retirees

8:05am April 07, 2019

by Blake Farmer

Celina, Tenn., has long lured retirees, with its scenic hills and affordability. These newcomers help fuel the local economy. But a recent hospital closure makes the town a harder sell.

Charlotte Potts, who has a history of heart problems, lives within sight of Livingston Regional Hospital. After a recent stint there, she was discharged into the care of a home health agency, and now gets treatment in her apartment for some ailments.

How Helping Patients Get Good Care At Home Helps Rural Hospitals Survive

7:00am December 23, 2018

by Blake Farmer

Hospitals are now financially rewarded by insurers for safety and efficacy — which often results in patients spending less time as inpatients.

Social worker, Lauren Rainbow (right), meets a man illegally camped in the woods in Snohomish County. They are part of a new program in the county that helps people with addiction, instead of arresting them.

A Rural Community Decided To Treat Its Opioid Problem Like A Natural Disaster

4:23pm October 28, 2018

by Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

A rural county in Washington declared the opioid epidemic a life-threatening emergency. They use a multi-agency coordination group straight out of FEMA's playbook to respond to the crisis.

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A drug specialist in the Mexican army shows crystal methamphetamine paste seized at a clandestine laboratory in Mexico's Baja California in August. Much of the meth sold in the U.S. today comes from Mexico, according to DEA officials.

Methamphetamine Roils Rural Towns Again Across The U.S.

11:44pm October 25, 2018

by Frank Morris

Meth is back "with a vengeance," police say. Now made mostly by superlabs in Mexico, it is stronger, cheaper and more prevalent, cutting across demographic barriers and sparking serious crime.

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According to a recent poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health more than half of respondents said they knew someone personally affected by suicide.

How One Colorado Town Is Tackling Suicide Prevention — Starting With The Kids

4:27pm October 24, 2018

by Kirk Siegler

Eight of the top ten states with the highest suicide rates are in the Mountain West. Grand Junction, Colo. has launched an ambitious effort starting in the schools to try and address the problem.

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