Rural Equity Strategies

Rurality is a descriptor for health disparities caused by barriers to health care, such as lack of transportation, a shortage of providers, and weak healthcare infrastructure experienced by people living in rural communities. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Michelle Probert, director at the Office of MaineCare Services, and Stephanie Stephens, associate commissioner of the Medicaid/CHIP Division at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, explore the challenges residents face accessing Medicaid services in rural areas. They discuss opportunities for Medicaid to foster community partnerships to improve access to care and how telehealth flexibilities are responding to the needs of rural residents.

This episode is cohosted by Gretchen Hammer, senior strategic advisor, and Hilary Kennedy, formerly with the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD). It includes insights from Mark Larson, senior vice president of leadership and capacity building at the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS).

Medicaid Leadership Exchange is a podcast series exploring priority topics for Medicaid leaders developed in partnership with NAMD and the Center for Health Care Strategies through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Visit Medicaid Leadership Exchange for more podcasts, or look for the podcast series on iTunes, or wherever you download your podcasts.