What health reform means to rural communities (video)

Lost in much of the health reform debate is what reform would mean to rural communities. This is surprising, given that -- as the U.S. Department of Agriculture notes [pdf] -- rural areas have been hit hardest by problems with our faltering health insurance system:

Individuals living in rural areas are more likely to be uninsured than those in urban areas (24 percent versus 18 percent), although they are 50 percent more likely to have Medicaid coverage. Two-thirds of the uninsured are low- income families, and 30 percent are children. Even those lower income individuals who are working often lack health insurance due to the structure of employment in rural areas--specifically, smaller employers, lower wages, and greater prevalence of self-employment.

Many of these areas are represented in Congress by members who have been most resistant to reform, including Republicans and "Blue Dog" Democrats. For example, Rep. Mike Ross (D) of Arkansas -- the Blue Dog who has taken credit for slowing down reform  -- represents a district where 20% live in poverty and nearly 22% don't have insurance.

The Movement Vision Lab (a project of the Center for Community Change) has a great video driving home the realities small-town America faces. This clip features Mayor Smith of Haywood County, Tennessee, who is struggling to pay premiums for county employees. Now's he facing a 50% increase in premiums this year:



You can find more video and information on the Lab's Health Care Reform for the Heartland site.