The Challenges Of Rural Health Care

In the United States, more people live in urban areas than rural communities. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 80.7% of the people live in urban areas whereas only 19.3% of Americans live in rural communities. The gap between rural and urban America created a tipping point generations ago but the gap is flaring in every aspect. One of the challenges rural areas face is the scarcity of affordable health care. There have been challenges in population health and the reform of health care systems in the United States but the biggest encounter is adapting rural communities to the shifts in national health policies and access to affordable health care. In any country, it is proven that rural communities face many challenges that render into

Rural communities health departments have limited capabilities for functioning core public health roles and delivering fundamental public health services. Rural communities also face challenges in efforts to follow accreditation and to meet the states standards. The ability to develop and acquire partnership in rural health departments are also one of their main challenges, “unlike rural health departments, urban health departments operate with large budgets and staff, provide a broader range of services, and enjoy more opportunities to develop partnerships with other nongovernmental organizations,” (Hale, 2015). Unlike rural’s local health departments urban health departments operate within their communities with relatively more resources and deliver services in a way that is impossible for rural communities. To be specific, Forkland, Alabama is one of the poorest towns in the United States. It is located on the western point of Alabama. America’s rural areas are poorer, older and overweight which puts a financial burden on the hopitals and health services that aid them. When the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, “the expectation was that virtually all of the nation’s 48 million uninsured would gain health insurance, either through subsidized health insurance policies purchased on health exchanges or through expanded state Medicaid programs,” (Buntin, 2014). In efforts to fund the ACA, the federal government began making big cuts on payments to hospitals serving areas with high numbers of Medicaid patients like Forkland,