ACA Repeal Would Devastate Rural Communities
<p>As elected representatives know all too well, many small and rural communities are suffering. They are in the throes of an opioid abuse epidemic, and good jobs are scarce. In a new post on <em>To the Point,</em> Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D., explains how the spending cuts in the House-passed American Health Care Act would make things much worse. </p><p>The bill’s cuts, especially to Medicaid, not only place the health care of rural children, the sick, the elderly, and people with disabilities at risk, but they imperil the nursing homes, hospitals, and community organizations that serve these patients. And they would threaten coverage for some 200,000 people struggling with opioid addiction. Early indications are that the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act will make similar, if not deeper, Medicaid cuts over the long term. </p>
<p>Rather than impose further hardship on these communities, Blumenthal suggests we build on what we know works: ensuring affordable health care coverage for everyone. </p>