Welcome2014 Crossroad Conference

THANK YOU

• Speakers and participants • Crossroads Committee – Becky Conditt,

Chris Felton, Briana Vela, Silvia Ballejo, Carson Scott, Kenneth Stewart, Don Nicholson, Carolyn Witherspoon and Erin Gregg.

• F. Marie Hall Staff

The Top 10 Rural Issues for Health Care Reform

1. Economy Based on Self-Employment & Small Businesses2. Public Health Insurance Plans: Dependence and Need3. A Stressed Health Care Delivery System4. Health Care Provider and Workforce Shortages5. An Aging Rural Population 6. A Sicker, More At-Risk Population7. More Preventive Care, Health and Wellness Resources8. More Mental Health Services9. Increasing Dependence on Technology10. Effective Emergency Medical ServicesHat tip to: Rx - A series Examining Health Care Issues in Rural America, Jon M. Bailey,

Center for Rural Affairs, 145 Main Street, P.O. Box 136 Lyons, Nebraska, USA 68038, March 2009.

ACA enrollment

• ~6 million uninsured (~25% of population)

• 733,757 (9.4%) eligible Texans purchased health insurance through the federal Marketplace from October 1, 2013 to April 19, 2014.

• Rural disparities continue Mike Cline, PhD and Steven H Murdock, PhD. Estimate of the Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Texas Counties Hobby Center for the Study of Texas – Rice University, 2012.

West Texas, 2013: Population/Doctor = 650:1

West Texas, 1970: Population/Doctor = 1,350:1

West Texas Challenge: “Shrinking” the Service Area Of the 108 counties in West Texas:

• 22 have no physicians

• 10 have no physicians, physician

assistants or nurse practitioners

• 21 have no pharmacy

• 32 have no hospital

• 75 percent of the region is more than

90 miles from a comprehensive trauma

hospital

• TTUHSC (Lubbock) is the only burn

center between Dallas and Phoenix

TTUHSC Service Area (108 Counties)

• 50% of the land mass and 11% of the population of the total state (2.7 million people)

• Larger than 46 of 50 states in U.S.• 54 counties considered “Frontier” (<7

people/sq. mile)

• Fuel - $100 billion investment to produce 7.5 million barrels / year – 6.9 % of all wages in Texas

• Fiber – 35% of world market produced by China, India and Texas (US = 15.7 million bales and Texas = 14.8 million bales; bale = 480 lbs.

• Food – 15% of world market $8 billion

Challenges

Health Reform remains essential and it’s about more than insurance! It’s about:• Innovation• Collaboration OUTSIDE THE BOX• Perseverance We hope you enjoy the 2014 Crossroads Conference – we hope you will learn, network, and most especially think. Take up the challenge – that is the only real reform…