Maine Rural Health Research Center
What's New
Rapid Response on Rural Health Reform
July 2009
The federal Office of Rural Health Policy has asked the Maine Rural Health Research Center to act as a "Rapid Response Center" and provide timely research to support pressing issues surrounding the health care reform initiatives and their impact on rural America. Erika Ziller and Andy Coburn have co-authored two Research & Policy Briefs: one on public health insurance expansion, and the other on reform options for private health insurance in rural areas.
Read more about Rapid Response on Rural Health Reform.
Profile of Rural Health Insurance Coverage: A Chartbook
Released June 16, 2009
- Download Profile of Rural Health Insurance Coverage: A Chartbook
- Download Research & Policy Brief (July 2009)
Co-authors Jennifer Lenardson, Erika Ziller, Andy Coburn, and Nath Anderson have provided a profile of the health insurance coverage and needs of rural persons under the age of 65, describing the risk of uninsurance facing rural residents and the characteristics of the uninsured in rural areas. Analyses of the data reveal a greater proportion of rural residents than urban residents who are uninsured or covered through public sources, especially among those living in remote areas. Health system reform efforts should consider differences in amount and type of health insurance coverage for those living in rural and urban areas. Learn more about the Chartbook.
Recent Presentations
Recent Presentations at the 2009 National Rural Health Association Annual Meeting:
- Yousefian, A., Race, M., Lambert, D., & Hartley, D. (2009, May 6). Role of local jails in the mental health system.
- Gale, J. & Davis, L. (2009, May 7). Statewide mental and behavioral health initiatives.
- Ziller, E. (2009, May 7). Access to rural mental health services: Service use, out-of-pocket costs, and the implications for mental health parity.
- Yousefian, A. (2009, February 20). An Environmental Assessment Instrument for Rural Communities: Development of the Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools. Presented at the Sixth Active Living Research Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
- Coburn, A.F. & Ziller, E.T. (2008, September 23). The Underinsured in Rural America: The Root of the Problem and Possible Solutions. Presented at The Second National Congress on the Un and Under Insured, Washington, DC.
New Publications
- Ziller, E., & Coburn, A.F. (2009, February). Rural coverage gaps decline following public health insurance expansion. (Research & Policy Brief).
- Lambert, D., Ziller, E.C., & Lenardson, J.D. (2009, January). Rural children don't receive the mental health care they need. (Research & Policy Brief).
- Ziller, E.C., Anderson, N., & Coburn, A.F. (2008, November). Rural adults face "parity" problems and other barriers to appropriate medical care. (Research & Policy Brief).
About the Center
Established in 1992, the Maine Rural Health Research Center draws on the multidisciplinary faculty, research resources and capacity of the Institute for Health Policy within the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine. Rural health is one of the primary areas of research and policy analysis within the Institute for Health Policy, and builds on the Institute's strong record of research, policy analysis, and policy development.
The mission of the Maine Rural Health Research Center is to inform health care policymaking and the delivery of rural health services through high quality, policy relevant research, policy analysis and technical assistance on rural health issues of regional and national significance. The Center is committed to enhancing policymaking and improving the delivery and financing of rural health services by effectively linking its research to the policy development process through appropriate dissemination strategies. The Center's portfolio of rural health services research addresses critical, policy relevant issues in health care access and financing, rural hospitals, primary care and behavioral health. The Center's core funding from the federal Office of Rural Health Policy is targeted to behavioral health.
