CFRA 051809 Clips

NIVERSAL - lnformatlon Senuces, Inc

(402) 342-31 78 PIP NEMAHA CO. HERALD FRIDAY WEEKLY AUBURN, NE Circulation = 2628

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Rural Americans More Likely to Be Uninsured & Underinsured; Center for Rural Affairs Unveils Rural Health Care Report at White House Meeting

Washington, DC - Jon Bailey, pends on individual policies with the rural self-employed the ability to Center for Rural Affairs Research reduced benefits and high deductibles, choose more affordable, quality health Director, presented the report Causes but 33%~ of farmers and ranchers rely care coverage," added Bailey. And Consequences of the Rural Un- on such policies; The release of the report comes just insured and Underinsured at a White 25% of non-corporate farms and as the Center concludes hosting health House meeting between rural health ranches carry medical debt and 25% care fonims across the Midwest. The care stakeholders and Acl~uinistration of that number report that medical forums, attended by health care prac. officials. Bailey discussetl the Center's expense "contribute to their financial titioners, farmers, ranchers, workers, most recent report on rural America's problems"; and teachers, students, retirees and elected health care system and rural health Approximately 50% of rural em- officials, discussed how health care care challenges with Nancy-Anne ployees work for small businesses, as reform will impact rural small busi- DeParle, Director of the White House cornparedto 37% of urban employees, ness, family farmers, ranchers and Office of Health Reform. Dr. Mary and small business employees are rural communities. Wakefield, Administrator, Health twice as likely to be uninsured. At the White House meeting Bailey Resources and Services Administra- The full report is available online at: also discussed the findings of two tion, and Tina Tchen, Director, White http://files.cfra.org/pdf/Causes-and- previous Center for Rural Affairs re- House Office of Public Liaison. Consequences-of-Rural-Uninsured. ports on health care reform and rural

Bailey, who traveled from Nebraska pdf America. to attend the meeting at the behest of' "Unfortunately,thesecircumstances - Top Ten Rural Issues for Health the White House, said, "It is encour- conspire to weaken rural communi- Care Reform - http://files.cfra.org/pdf/ aging that the Whitc House is paying ties. A rural community's economic Ten-Rural-Issues-for-Health-Care- attention to the unique challenges development, social cohesiveness Reform.pdf rural America faces in the health cart: and health care infrastructure are all - Nutrition, Physical Activity, and reform debate. And our report on the threatened by a lack of affordable Obesity in Rural America - http://files. rural uninsured and underinsured health insurance that results in more cfra.org/pdf/Nutrition-Physical-Ac- provides ample evidence of the im- families without health insurance or tivity-and-Obesity-in-Rural-America. portance of health care reform and a with less than adequate insurance," pdf public health insurance option to rural Bailey explained. Additional reports exploring a America." "And we all pay for the skyrocket- variety of rural health care issues

For a link to the video of the dis- ing costs of health insurance. Like - including policy issues, and how cussion and more information about most issues facing rural America, ev- congressional reform proposals ad- the White House forum visit: www. eryone is in this together. That is why dress rural health care, will be released healthreform .gov it is so crucial for reform legislation to in the coming weeks and can be found

According to the report,n~ral Amer- create a public health insurance option at www.cfra.org/policy/health-care. icans are more likely to bc uninsured that provides rural small business and or underinsured than urban A~nericans. With an economic foundation of small " businesses, self-employment, and low wage work, rural communities are not well served by a health insurance systkh that relies on employer-based coverage. Many more niral families are forced to purchase from the individual insurance market where they all too often wind up underinsured. with coverage that costs too much and provides too little. Those who cannot afford the significantly more expensive individual insurance pack- ages must go \liitho~t or rely on public insurance. i Report Findings !

The report found rural residents were found to be twice as likely to be underinsurecl ;IS urban residents;

8% of the general population de- w---

STAR-HERALD SCOTTSBLUFF, Nebraska

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TODAY Scottabluff - Nancy F M ,

business speddiist with the Cen- fkr for Rural Affairs' Rural Enter- prise Assistance Project (REAP), -- will hold an informational community meeting at the Guadalupe Center from 6 7 p.m. The meeting will be In Spanish. For more information, call Flodc at (308) 534- ICm.

LaGrange - LaGrange town election, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the LaGrange Town Hall. Voters may register with the LaGrange town clerk before casting a ballot. Call (307) 834-2466 for more informa- . .

tlon . Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry will offer a free semi- nar to dentists and dental hygien- ists from 1-5 p.m. at the HARMS Center. \ Tdngton - 'Adelante Ninos - Onward ... Upward ... to Higher Education: 9 a.m. to 130 p.m. at the EWC Flne Arts Auditorium. For more information or to pre- register, call Anne Gardetto at West), Torrin$on. Fri. 3-7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buy, sell and trade guns. Admission will be chargad at the door. Contact Reed Feme (801) 466-7556. ture Center or call 436-3777.

Chadron - The American Le- gion Auxiliary, unit #12 of Chadron, will be offering poppies from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at various stores for 'Poppy Day" in honor of our veterans.

Scottsblun - West Nebraska Family Research and History Center will be helping with prob lem Genealogy reports. Everyone welcome, for more information call

Tuesday, May 12,2009 DAILY 11625 12.48 sq. inches $1 7.64 A 2

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new farm bill programs for their -

operations. The hotline can help you with ;

programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CStP), the

U N IVERSAL Information Services, In,

NEWS THURSDAY WEEKLY ORCHARD, NE Circulationx 654

04/29/2009

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Environniental Quality Incentives Organic Transition Provision (EQIP), the Value Added Producer Grants Program, as well as a host of beginning farmer and rancher programs and incentives.

Through the Hotline, the Center for Rural Affairs would also like to learn about your experience with signing up for these programs. That

- -- - - "-information can help all of us en- sure these program; are being im-

Sustainable Options plemented on the ground as in-

Hotline tended. If we learn there are prob- I,gms, we can use that inforrnati2n ..

. =.Calling all Farmeis; 'Ranch+ i f ; USDA to make , C and Rural Community Folks Want- needed ing to Learn About Farm Bill Con- Contact the hotline via the web: servation, Direct Marketing and ht tp :~/wwwWcfra .org!O~/sus ta in~ Rural Development Programs options . Or by calling Traci

The Center for Bruckner at (402) 687-2 100. Sustainable Options Hotline provides information to farmeis and ! -- ranchers, especially thosc employ- ing organic and conservation-based farming and ranching systems, including those beginners looking to get started, on how they can use

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MIRROR-SUN THURSDAY WEEKLY LYONS, NE Cnculation = 735

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Rural Mental Health Care 'deficit alarming CFRA Guest Columnist

May is National Mental Health care reform leg- similar to what exists for Health Awareness Month. islation can be- rural medical

However, over half of gin to address clinics. the counties in the United these disparities In the com- States have no mental health b y p ro v i d i n g ing weeks the professionals, a situation incentives and Center for Ru- that has changed little in reimbursement ral Affairs will , 45 years. mechanisms for release a report

Mental health and behav- mid-level mental titled "Mental ioral health issues take from health providers Health in Ru- 20 to 25 percent of primary (providers at the ral Americay7 care physician's workload. B achelor7 s and which will look taxing an already stressed Master's degree at the issue more rural health care system. level) in rural in depth..

Research has shown areas and by pro- Rural Research/Analysis TO view past that patients who receive viding resources Program Dlrector reports and for specialized mental health for a specialty more informa- care are much more likely to mental health marketplace tion visit: www.cfra.org. receive adequate treatment - -

than those receiving general medical care.

Unfortunately, the conclusion that rural individuals receive poorer quality mental health care is un- i avoidable.

Thelack of mental health i

professionals affects children as well.

Part of thereason so many ! children were droppedoffat

Nebraska hospitals under the safe haven law was due to a lack of effective mental health services.

Public policy has done 1 little to address major sources of this rural dispar- i ity: the need for mid-level !

professionals to provide mental health services and a marketplace for such services.

i i

GRAPHIC

ATKINSON, Nebraska

Date: Thursday, April 30,2009 Frequency: WEEKLY Circulation: 1975 Clip Size: - 15.49 sq. inches Ad Rate: $3.5 Pagelsection: 2

Rural Mental Health Care Deficit Alarming By Jon Bailey, [email protected]>

Center for Rural Affairs May is National Mental Health

Awareness::Month. However, over half o f the counties in the United States have no mental health rofes-

tittle in 45 years. R sionals, a situatjon,that has c anged '

Mental health and behavioral h?alth issucs take from 20 to 25 per-

--nt of primary care physician's .workload, taxing an already stressed 'dral health' Care system. Research has shown that patients who receive

-:specialized mental health care are much more likely to receive adequate jnatmcnt than those receiving gen- -em1 medical care.

UnfortunaJeIy, the conclusion that rural individuals receive poorer quality mental health care is unavoid- ablc. -.

The lack of mental health profes- ionals affects children as well. Part fk the reason's0 many children were

dropped off a t Nebraska hospitals under the safe haven law was due to a lack of effective mental health services.

Public policy has done little to address major sources of this rural disparity -- the need for mid-level professionals to provide mental health services and a marketplace for " . such services. Health care refoma Ieg- islation can begin to address these disparities by providing incentives and reimbursement mechanisms for mid-level mental health providers (providers aitthe Bachelor's and Master's dcgree level) in rural areas and by providing resources for a specialty mental health marketplace similafto what exisis foitur'al medical clinics.

In thc coming weeks the Center fnr Rural Affairs will release a report titled "Mental llealth in Rural Amcrica" which will look at the issue rnore in depth. To view past reports and for morc information visit: www.cfra.org.

Universal Information Services , Inc. http://news.universaI-info.com Profile: 11 1 - Center for Rural ARairs Recipient: John Crabtree

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STAR-HERALD Date: Wednesday, May 13,2009

Frequency: DAILY

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Rural health Medical costs,

insurance inequities work against

small-to wn America

I t's no secret that rural Americans, and farmers es cany medical debt and 25 of that number re- in particular, face hardships unfamiliar to most port that medical expenses "contribute to their fi- Americans. nancial problems." Most workers go to work in a building owned by -APproximateIY haif of rural employees work

someone else, use equipment that's provided for for small businesses, compared with 37 percent of than, get reimbursed for expenses, follow a famil- employees, and small business employees iar routine with largely prediible results and pick are w e as likely to be uninsured- up a regular paycheck. Many get all or part of their At the same time, rural hos~itds and doctors h m insurance coverage provided by their em- are d e n less than their urban COunteIpartS for the players- sam services, threatening access to medical

Rural Americans are more likely to be en t rep~ care when clinics and hospitals can no longer af- neun, who pay their own expenses and get along ford to stay in business. Smakbusiness owners as best they can. Farmers run a gauntlet of uncer- can't afford coverage for employees. Entrepre- binties, from fuel and other input costs to ex- neun can't take the risk of leaving a job with tremes of weather. For them, the nation's health health benefi to start up their own businesses. care challenges are especially acute. At a recent All combine to threaten the health of rural comrnu- W h i i House roundtable on rural America and nit i i , including those in Nebraska. heallh care reform, Jon Bailey, research director We pay skyrocketing costs for both medical for the Center for R u r m in Nebraska, told care and health insurance, with corporate bean- ofkjals that rural Americans are more likely to be counters rather than physicians making decisions uninsured or underinsured than uban Americans. abwt what gets covered. Those who aren't able

In the last 40 years, the number of self-em- to participate in company-sponsored health care ployed workers in rural areas has grown by more coverage deserve better, including the ability to than 240 percent. Because of the e w m k choose more affordable, quality health care cover- makeup of rural communities - small business- age. es, self-employment, and low-wage work - rural Sm. Ben Nelson, who supports health-care re- communities, he said, are not well served by a -fom, pin% cu! that the 78 pt3~e!?t !w@~s(? in health insurance system that relies on employer- , health care insurance costs from 2001 to 2007 is based coverage. The CFRA says many rural fami- economically unsustainable. It's already left more l i j are forced to purchase from the individual in- than 45 million Americans uninsured. That num- surance market, where they often wind up with ber is likely to grow as more employees get laid coverage that costs too much and provides too lid- off in the coming f'nonths- tle. We can continue down the road of double-digit

A CFRA report found: premium increases, paying more each year for - Rural residents were found to be twice as less coverage and letting accountants decide

likely to be underinsured as utban residents w h i i medical treatments best serve patient -Eight percent of the general population de- needs, or we can explore other options that im-

pends on individual policies with reduced benefits prove access, red~ce costs to families, offer and high deductibles, but 33 percent of farmers greater choices and give individuals more control and ranchers rely on such policies over their relationship with their medical providers.

-A quarter of nonarporate farms and ranch- That might include a public health program tai-

Universal Information Services , Inc. http://news.universaI-info.com Profile: 11 1 - Center for Rural Affairs Recipient: John Crabtree

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lored to the needs of farmers, small businesses and entrepreneurs. Although many Ameriins are dogmatically opposed to government in- volvement in health care, the system we have is no bargain. For rural America to survive economically, we need something different, something that works.

1 Universal Information Services , lnc. http://news.universaI-info.com Page: 212 ) Profile: 111 - Center for Rural Affairs Recipient: John Crabtree

CHIEFTAIN

TECUMSEH, Nebraska

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c C@ 2W9 \All Ri& Resaved

Thursday, April 30,2009 WEEKLY 1824 18.76 sq. inches $6.9 4

Rural mental health care deficit alarming

By Jon Bailey [email protected], &%errfor Rural Afl&g

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. However, over half of the counties in the United States have no mental health professionals, a situation that has changed little in 45 years. Mental health and behavioral health issues take from 20 to 25 percent of primary care physician's workload, taxing an already stressed rural health care system. Research has shown that patients who receive specialized mental health care are much more likely to receive adequate treatment than those receiving general medical care. Unfoqunately, the conclusion that rural individuals receive poorer,quality mental health care is unavoidable.

The lack of mental health professionals affects children as well. Rrt of the reason so many children were dropped off at Nebraska hospitals under the safe haven law was due to a lack of effective mental health services. Public policy has done little to address major sources of this nual dispar-

ity--the need for mid-level professionals to provide mental health services and a marketplace for such services. Health care refonn legislation can begin to address these disparities by providing incentives and reimbursement mec)aanisrns for mid-level mental health providers (providers at the Bachelor's and Master's degree level) in mral areas anii by providing resources for a specialty mental health marketplace similar to what exists for rural medical clinics.

In the coming weeks the M o r Rural Affairs will release a report titled "Mental Health in Rural America" which will ldok at the issue more in depth. For more information visit: www.cfra.org. '

Universal Information Services , Inc. http://news.universal-info.com Profile: 11 I - Center for Rural Atfairs Recipient: John Crabtree

Page: 111

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(402) 342-31 78

DAKOTA CO. STAR 1 1 WEDNESDAY WEEKLY

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NE Circulation = 2448 1

' Editorial / Fewer farms but ag ( ~~roduction at all time high

-

Editorials are written and approved by members of the Dakota County Star staffs editorial board, including Manager Wike Boots, Columnist Henry Trysla and Owner Mark Rhoades.

_

According to the latest census of Nebraska agriculture, farms in the s ta te are larger and fewer.

Nebraska had 47,711 farms in 2007 down from 49,355 in 2002. The decline in farms is not sur- prising as abandoned homesteads have increas- ingly dotted the countryside for decades.

And over the las t five years, the average age of a Nebraska farmer has climbed two years, to 55.9.

More of the same i s not good news as i t re- lates to the way direct government payments ar,e made to farmers, said Chuck Hassebrook of the Nebraska Center for Rural Affairs.

'Basically, what this tells you i s the farms keep getting bigger and fewer. And I think, in par t , i t reflects the public policies we have in this coun- try. We have essentially subsidized bigger farms to allow them to bid up land and get i t away from their neighbors," he said.

Hassebrook said the gain in the average age of farmers means two things: "One, we're getting fewer beginning farmers. And the other i s more and more farmers are continuing to farm beyond retirement age." - -- -

A switch from controlling weeds with tillage to- ward controlling weeds with chemicals i s a con- tributing factor. Farming, with the technology we've developed, involves a lot less labor and a lot more dollars.

We see nothing on the horizon which will divert the trend of larger bu t fewer farms and a slight increase in the average age of farmers.

What is encouraging, however, i s that Nebras- ka agriculture continues to produce crops at re- cord levels. We salute Nebraska farmers who are helping to feed the nation while also assisting in the efforts to become less dependent on foreign oil supplies for gasoline, with the production of corn-based ethanol.

STAR-HERALD

SCOTTSBLUFF, Nebraska

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, May 12,2009

sq. inches

TODAY Scottsbluff - Nancy Flock,

business spedalist wlth the m- fkr for Rural Affairs' Rural Fnter- prise Assistance hoject (REAP), will hold an informational community meeting at the Guadalupe Center from 6-7 p.m. The meeting

will be in Spanish. For more information, call Flodc at (308) 534- x . .

IaGnnga - LaGrange town election, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the LaGrange Town Hall. Voters may register wlth the LaGrange tawn clerk before castlng a ballot. Call (307) 834-2466 for more information.

Universal Information Services , Inc. http://news.universal-info.com Profile: 111 - Center for Rural ARairs Recipient: John Crabtree

Page: 111

W ORLD-HERALD Date: Friday, May 8, 2009 Frequency: DAILY

OMAHA, Nebraska Circulation: 192075

Clip Size: 46.65 sq. inches Ad Rate: $1 54 Pagelsection: B 7

MIDLANDS VOICES

Public insurance o~t ion key to health care ;eform

BY JOHN CRABTREE The writer is media director o f t h e m Affairs, based in Lyons, Neb. ---"

A publia incruraPae option would otter hneri0a.m a break h m pa* more eaob year tor lea ooverage.

U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson's May 3 Midlands Voices essay ("Health care fix is within reach) laysout an effective case for the need to reform America's health care system.

Sen. Nelson correctly points out- that -Amer-icm- families paying more and more each year for health insurance - a 78 percent increase from 2001 to 2007 - is economically unsustainable.

We share Sen. Nelson's belief that reform can enable insured Americans to keep the coverage they have at a cost they can afford, while extending coverage to the more than 45 million unin-

'

ilired Americans. And we agree with him on the need to control costs by demanding that insurers compete with each other and cob Iect evidence on which medical treatments best serve patient ! needs.

Howeirer, we disagree with Sen. Nelson on one crucial facet of addressing skyrocketing costs and increasing access to health insurance. If Congress and the White House hope to fulfill the promise of making the American health care system fair and equitable to. all, reform legislation must include a public health insurance option. A public health insurance op-

tion would offer Nebraskans the choice of buying coverage through private insurance or a public health insurance plan.

That choice would increase com- petition for insurance coverage

~ O L & L B L z and make use of the bargaining power of government to restrain double-digit premium increases by big insurance companies. It also would offer Americans a break from the tradition of paying more each year for less coverage.

Real reform would provide affordable access to good-quality health care coverage for millions of Americans, maintain or increase choices for health care consumers and protect Nebras- kans' control over their relationship with their medical providers. And it would address the inequities that threaten to fore-

\ close health care access in rural areas by ending the practice of paying rural hospitals and doctors less than their urban coun- terparts for the same services.

That should be our vision for health care reform.

Nebraska faces steep economic challenges. The skyrocketing cost of health insurance is first and foremost among those challenges. Left unchecked, r a p idly rising health care costs will determine the economic succcss or failure of many of Nebraska's family farmers, ranchers, small- business owners and workers during America's economic re- covery.

Over the past few months, we have come to know a young man from Broken Bow. Iarry Har- bour grew up in Omaha, married and eventually moved to Broken Bow to raise a family. A few years ago, he decided to start up his own small business. He left a job with health care benefits, started his business and has worked hardat it.

When you first meet Larry, it takes only a few minutes to real- ize that every Nebraska commu-

nity could use someone like him. He works hard. He is an entre- preneur. He has ideas, hopes and dreams and the courage to act on them. He has done everything that anyone might reasonably ask to stake a claim in his community and help create a better economic future for Broken Bow.

And he is risking everything to do it. At this early stage, his business simply cannot support the $700 or $800 per month he would have to pay for family health insurance coverage. So he cur- rently goes without insurance.

No one should ever say that Sen. Nelson does not understand the importance of this entrepre- neurial spirit to Nebraska's economic future. No senator fought harder to support rural entrepre- neurial development in the last farm bill than Sen. Nelson. We applaud him for his accomplish- ments in that arena.

As health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses rise, however, more small-business owners in Ne- braska will drop unaffordable coverage for themselves and their employees. Economic development efforts will continue to be hampered by the risk that entrepreneurs face in leaving employment with health care benefits to start up their own business.

The strengths of a public health insurance option are what many rural people and small businesses need - stability and affordability - while also providing more affordable health insurance access to vulnerable populations such as low- and moderate-income families and the self-employed.

This is the kind of health care reform that Nebraskans want, needand deserve.

Universal Information Services, Inc. http://news.universaI-info.com Profile: 11 1 - Center for Rural Affairs Recipient: John Crabtree

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INDEPENDENT

OAKLAND, Nebraska

a Co&& 2OW\ All Ri& Rprnnd

Date: Thursdav. Mav 7.2009 - 3 , r

Frequency: WEEKLY Circulation: 131 5 Clip Size: 20.91 sq. inches

$5 Ad Rate: Pagelsection: 4

Value Added Grant Program Lyons, NE - The Center

far Rural Affairs in partnership with USDA Rural Development will be available to share information on the Valued Added Grant Program and other USDA Rural Development programs.

Mike Heavrin of the Gent.er_forRuralAffairs will be available on May 8, from 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Oakland RC&D Of- fice to discuss and answer questiohs about the Value Added Grant Program and to offer assist interested producers with tips for completing the application.

In addition he will help interested producers understand what types of projects are allowable under the grant. People can either call and set up an appointment or simply come into the Oakland office during those hours. \ "There is so much interest in the Value Added program from Nebraska's farmers and ranchers who are developing businesses that grow their income and bring much needed jobs to their communities," said Kathie Starkweather, lkr&c&xJi- "We are happy to be able to partner with USDA Ru-

ral Development in order to present information on this upcoming opportu- nity"

Starkweather continued, "Historically Nebraska has been one of the top states to receive Value Added Producer Grant funding."

What: Technical Assis- tance office hours on the Value Added Producer Grant Program.

When and Where: Friday, May 8 10:OO AM - 3:M) PM Oakland RC&D Office -408 North Oakland Av-

enue Oakland, NE 68045 :402) 685-5175

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Page: 111

MIDLAND NEWS

VALENTINE, Nebraska

- .- Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 .-'--- Frequency: WEEKLY Circulation: 2056 Clip Size: 16.77 sq. inches Ad Rate: $5.6 Pagelsection: 9

Ainswdrth location of Value Added Producer Grant Program tahical as!b1$Md i~&'h&r*

The Center for Rwal Affairs in partnership with USDA Rural De- velopment willbeavailable toshare information on the Valued Added Grant Program and other USDA Rura! D~ve!c?pment programs.

Employees at the Ainsworth Office of USDA Rural Development and ~ i k e ~eavr in ol\theLknkrfm WaJ Affairs will be available on May 1, from 10:OO a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Ainsworth Rural Development Office to discuss and answer ques- tions about the Value Added Grant Programs and assist interested producers with tips for completing the application. In addition they will help interested producers understand what types of projects areallowable under the grant. Ad- ditional USDA Rural Development staff specialists will be available

to discuss other USDA Rural De- velopment programs such as the energy program. Peoplecan either call and set up an appointment or simply come into the Ainsworth offi_ce dwhg those ho~rs .

"There is so much interest in the Value Added program hom Nebraska's farmers and ranchers whoare developingbusinesses that grow their incomeandbringmuch neededjobs to their communities," said Kathie Starkweather,Cenkr &Rural Affairs. "We are happy to be able to partner with USDARural Development in order to present information on this upcoming op- portunity" . -

Starkweather continued, "His- torically Nebraska has been one of the top states to receive Value Added Producer Grant funding."

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