When A Rural Hospital Closes, The Town Struggles To Survive

The story of Hancock Memorial Hospital in the tiny town of Sparta, Georgia is not unique. Hancock Memorial Hospital was among the first of nine rural hospitals that have closed across Georgia since 2000. Today, it’s overgrown with weeds and vines, while the roof caves on the gurneys and computers still inside. When County Commissioner Sistie Hudson tries to recruit a new industrial employer, one of the first things they ask is: “Do you have a hospital?” That's a non-starter for most businesses. 

University of North Carolina professor Mark Holmes studied the economic impact of 140 rural hospital closures nationwide. He found that three years out, losing a hospital costs a community, on average, “about 1.6 percentage points in unemployment, about $700 in per capita income, and that was in [year] 2000 dollars so that’d be probably about $1,000 currently." 

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NE Study Shows Residents in Rural Counties are Less Likely to Have Health Insurance

A new health study says more uninsured people live in rural Nebraska, and experts say the implications for the future affect all of us. This is true for Colorado, as well as across the country. The rural economy is based on small business and self -employment. Small business owners face inherent challenges in providing coverage for themselves and their employees. Lower purchasing power, increased risk of adverse selection and higher marketing and administrative costs all contribute to insurers charging higher premium costs to smaller employers, a common practice in rural parts of the state. Read the article here, or read more about health disparities facing rural Coloradans in the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved's most recent issue in their infographic series about access.

Administration Defines Benefits That Must Be Offered Under the Health Law

Insurance companies are rushing to devise health benefit plans that comply with federal standards. This is in response to the "essential health benefits" which were defined on Tuesday by the Obama administration. Starting in October, people can enroll in the new plans, for coverage that begins on Jan. 1, 2014. The rules translate the broad promises of the 2010 law into detailed standards that can be enforced by state and federal officials.

The rules lay out 10 broad categories of essential health benefits, but allow each state to specify the benefits within those categories, at least for 2014 and 2015. The rules also give employers new freedom to reward employees who participate in workplace wellness programs intended to help them lower blood pressure, lose weight or reduce cholesterol levels. Click here to read the full article by Robert Pear, New York Times.

Please see the latest updates from the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange Below.

§  Executive Director Patty Fontneau blogs about defined contributions and assisting small businesses.

§  The SHOP Advisory Group will meet Thursday, Oct. 25, 10 am. More information is available here.

§  The Exchange is seeking applicants for the position of Documents and Meetings Coordinator. More information is available here.

§  The Exchange is seeking applicants for the position(s) of Outreach Coordinator. More information is available here.

§  The COHBE Board will meet on Nov. 12, 8:30 am. More information is available here.