On National Rural Health Day, it’s important to acknowledge the more than 60 million Americans living in rural areas who are often at a disadvantage accessing health care. With one in five Americans living in a rural community, employers in these areas design benefits to ensure their workforce has access to robust coverage for their health care needs. But more can be done with the help of policymakers.
Rural Americans have a harder time accessing health care due to a variety of factors, particularly geographic isolation, with fewer health care providers nearby. As the cost and access to care continue to challenge families, we must consider ways to strengthen workplace offerings for rural workers. Here are a couple of ways this can be done:
- Expanding access to telehealth: Americans increasingly value telehealth services. Technological advancements in health care have significantly improved accessibility to critical services for rural residents. Telehealth offsets rural barriers to care, like finding a local specialist or travel costs, making these offerings valuable to rural communities. As lawmakers look to enhance telehealth access, they should consider what worked from the COVID-era telehealth flexibilities, which recently expired. Policies like removing limits on where patients can receive care, permitting audio-visual and audio-only care, investing in broadband infrastructure, and expanding the list of services providers can offer will enhance access to care while lowering costs.
- Strengthening the provider workforce: For too long, there has been a growing shortage of quality providers in rural communities. This shortage will be exacerbated as existing providers near retirement and experience increased burnout. Lawmakers must prioritize ways to strengthen the provider workforce in these areas, such as increasing incentives, providing competitive compensation, and expanding support for wraparound community services to fill gaps in care.
Employer plans are doing their part to enhance their offerings and to reduce barriers in care for residents in these areas. Protecting Americans’ Coverage Together (PACT) supports efforts by Congress to enhance telehealth services and address the provider workforce shortage to strengthen this coverage and bridge this gap in healthcare.
The Protecting Americans' Coverage Together campaign is a coalition that includes the U.S Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, Vermeer Corporation, the National Association of Manufacturers and Council for Affordable Health Coverage. PACT represents leading employer voices focused on strengthening employer-provided coverage and protecting the benefits that American families depend on for their health.
