WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released a new report, "Hard Times in the Heartland: Health Care in Rural America."

The report, released Monday, outlines the healthcare challenges facing rural communities. It comes on the same day that White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle, HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield and Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) hold a meeting with rural residents as part of the ongoing series of White House healthcare stakeholder discussions. 
 
"Americans in rural communities have seen their premiums skyrocket and are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to get the care they need," Sebelius said. "Today's report confirms that we cannot wait to enact comprehensive health reform."

"Hard Times in the Heartland" indicates that nearly 50 million people in rural America face challenges accessing healthcare.  Not only do they face higher rates of poverty, they report more health problems, are more likely to be uninsured and have less access to a primary healthcare providers than do Americans living in urban areas.

The report notes:

• Nearly one in five of the uninsured - 8.5 million people - live in rural areas.
• Rural residents pay on average for 40 percent of their healthcare costs out of their own pocket, compared with the urban share of one-third.
• In a multi-state survey, one in five insured farmers has medical debt.

Photo obtained under Creative Commons license from Barack Obama.