Bill Overview
Title: State Offices of Rural Health Program Reauthorization Act of 2022
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 grants awarded to state offices of rural health for improving health care in rural areas.
Sponsors: Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]
Target Audience
Population: People living in rural areas worldwide
Estimated Size: 46000000
- The bill is aimed at supporting state offices focused on rural health, which means it targets people living in rural areas.
- The global rural population includes people from all over the world who live in rural settings, amounting to billions.
- Rural healthcare issues are more common in less developed countries; however, developed countries also have significant rural populations.
Reasoning
- The policy is focused on rural health improvements through state offices, and will primarily impact individuals living in rural areas.
- Approximately 46 million Americans live in rural areas and may be affected by this policy.
- The policy has a budget limit which means its impact may be uneven and concentrated in areas of greatest need.
- There is a diversity of experiences among people in rural areas, including farmers, small business owners, retirees, and others.
- Some individuals will see direct benefits from improved health care services, while others may be less directly impacted.
- Wellbeing scores will be influenced by both immediate access to healthcare and longer-term health outcomes.
Simulated Interviews
Farmer (Montana)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy can help families like mine access better healthcare services.
- It's difficult to find specialists nearby, so improvements in local healthcare are much needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Arkansas)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our community can definitely benefit from this policy, especially to keep people healthy and working.
- I'm hopeful this will reduce the need for people to travel long distances for healthcare.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Retired (West Virginia)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a retired person, better healthcare access would mean fewer worries about getting older.
- This policy might improve my access to nearby clinics and doctors.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Teacher (Texas)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm optimistic about what this policy can do for our rural community's health education.
- I think it could inspire more of us to consider health-related careers locally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Nurse (Kentucky)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With more funding, our clinic could expand services that are greatly needed.
- This policy will likely support both patients and medical staff in rural areas.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Agricultural Worker (North Dakota)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any improvement in healthcare availability would be good, especially if it means not traveling hours to a hospital.
- I hope this creates more stable health opportunities, even for temporary workers like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Homemaker (Nebraska)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wish healthcare were easier to access here, and this could be a step in the right direction.
- There's a real need for keeping our families healthy and this policy gives me hope.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired (Vermont)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reaching a clinic isn't always easy, so any improvement would be appreciated.
- Continued access to medication and check-ups needs to be facilitated by policies like this one.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Postal Worker (Oklahoma)
Age: 49 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could mean better health services within reachable distances, given my travel-heavy job.
- It might help address some of the chronic issues plaguing many in tightly knit rural communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Teacher (Mississippi)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope that greater support for rural health also means attention to student mental health.
- Our community would thrive with better access to healthcare services, freeing us to focus on education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $51000000 (Low: $41000000, High: $61000000)
Year 3: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 5: $54000000 (Low: $44000000, High: $64000000)
Year 10: $60000000 (Low: $48000000, High: $72000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- Reauthorization implies continuation of existing programs, thus minimizing inbound changes in administrative costs.
- The focus on improving rural healthcare aligns with federal objectives to reduce disparities.
- Funding levels need adaptation to maintain pace with medical inflation and healthcare cost escalation.