Rural Access
Rural Access
Rural Georgians experience health disparities on multiple dimensions: they are less likely to have job-based health insurance, may have to travel long distances to seek medical care, and experience higher rates of chronic health conditions than their suburban and urban counterparts.
Rural hospitals are often the cornerstones of rural communities, serving as both an economic engine and an access point for health care services, yet several rural hospitals have closed in recent years and more are at risk of closure.
To ensure that Georgians living in rural parts of the state have the access to care that they need, Georgians for a Healthy Future supports policy initiatives (such as closing the coverage gap) that can strengthen our rural health system and increase access to care.
Four of Georgia’s rural hospitals have closed in the last several years. Fifteen more are financially fragile according to the 2015 final report from Georgia’s own Rural Hospital Stabilization Committee. Increasing health coverage would provide Georgia’s hospitals with an increase source of revenue and a lower burden of uncompensated care. Closing Georgia’s coverage gap could keep hospital doors open in rural communities.
Resources on Rural Health & Access (6 items) Go to Library
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today and everyday we continue the work to honor Dr. King’s legacy and correct this injustice right here in Georgia. #MLKDay
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GHF was proud to host an amazing morning with fellow advocates, policy makers, and health care providers.