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Online Petition Drive Taking Pulse of Rural Health Care

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008   

Lyons, NE - About one-fourth of America's population lives in rural areas like South Dakota, where they face more difficulty accessing health care services, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

At the Center for Rural Affairs, a nonprofit organization that advocates for rural families and communities, Jon Bailey is the Rural Research and Analysis program director. He sees affordable health insurance as a leading obstacle to rural prosperity, and his group has launched an online petition drive to gauge public support for rural health care reform.

"Rural people have higher rates of almost every kind of chronic disease than non-rural people. They have generally less access to health care services and providers, and the rural economy is not well-served by the current systems. They generally get less coverage for what they pay for. So, rural people have a lot to offer and a lot at stake in this state, and they need to be involved in the debate."

The petition asks that any healthcare reform considered by Congress and the new administration works for rural people. Bailey also points out that the current system of health insurance isn't affordable for many small businesses, especially those who are self-employed, including South Dakota farmers and ranchers.

"They spend a lot more money for individual policies, and generally get less coverage than somebody whose employer provides group insurance. We want to hear about how to control costs, how to make the current system more affordable to individuals and businesses, and how to make coverage universal."

Bailey says the online petition can be accessed at www.cfra.org; click on "Rural Health Care Reform."



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