Health Care Reform and Rural Communities
Air Date: 03/22/2010
By Jackelyn Severin
While state officials have concerns about the financial burden of health care reform others praise the legislation for creating better access to medical care for those living in rural states.
Karen Larson is Deputy Director for the Community Health Care Association of the Dakotas. She says the health care reform bill provides for more funding to increase the number of community health centers in rural areas.
Larson says, “And that will really enable us to be able to try and get into the medically underserved areas in North and South Dakota.”
Larson says the reform package also funds scholarships and loan repayment assistance programs for nurses, physicians, dentists and physician assistants who agree to work in communities who don’t have enough medical providers.